Roasted Peppers and Spinach Salad with Pesto Dressing

Inspiration for me doesn’t always come from a cookbook or glossy food magazine.  Grocery stores are also a good source of recipes and what’s more, they’re free!  Sobeys produces a quarterly magazine highlighting their brands and the recipes are developed by their own dieticians.  Each recipe contains nutritional information making it easier for those counting calories or on strict diets.

Serves 4
adapted from Sobeys Inspired magazine

3 sweet bell peppers (red, orange, yellow)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pesto
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
baby spinach
1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half moons (and seeded if desired)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
shaved Asiago cheese 

Preheat broiler. Place peppers in a pan and set under the broiler.  Turn occasionally, until skins are lightly charred and remove peppers to a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap to let steam 10 minutes. Reserve the liquid that collects in the bowl. Peel and seed peppers and slice into one-inch strips. Set aside.  To make the dressing, whisk olive oil, pesto, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper with 2 tablespoons of the reserved juices from the roasted peppers.  Place spinach on a platter and toss the peppers with half the dressing and arrange on the spinach. Add the cucumber and shallot and drizzle with remaining dressing. Garnish with shaved Asiago cheese and serve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Simple, fresh and easy best describe this salad. 

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