My good friend Stacey had the girls over the other week to catch up and enjoy dinner together. She whipped us up a light, delicious salad that her mom always makes her. I fell in love with it and asked her if I could share it with you fine folks. This is super quick to make and is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. Salads don’t typically fill me up enough but this one is wholesome and very satisfying!

 -Melanie

Health tips: Heart healthy; low carb, diabetes friendly and anti-inflammatory (if pasta removed or wheat used); low fat

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 1 1/2 cups of chicken breast, shredded into medium bite-sized pieces (Tip: I buy a whole roasted chicken from store deli section. They are so worth it. Not only are they convenient, but they are only around $6.99 each, and can be used for various meals.)
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon jarred garlic, minced (Tip: Jarred is milder, so if you only have fresh, just sauté a bit.)
• 1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach (Tip: I love the flavor of peppery arugula so I buy the mixed spinach/arugula package.)
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, bite-sized or strips
• 1/4 cup olives, sliced
• 2 pieces of bacon, cooked, crisp and crumbled
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus extra for garnish
• Pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing (Tip: If you remove the pasta, start with less dressing and adjust.)

Steps

1. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken in Italian seasoning and garlic.
2. Once the pasta is cool, add that and the rest of the ingredients to the chicken, and toss.
3. Garnish with a bit more cheese on top and enjoy!