Spinach Salad with Chicken and Warm Ginger Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sweetener of your choice
• 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 1 T finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 3-4 green onions cut into thin strips
• 1-2 tsp. olive oil for cooking vegetables
• 4 large handfuls baby spinach leaves

Directions

1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a glass measuring cup: the olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sweetener of your choice, Asian sesame oil, and fresh ginger. Whisk until blended, then put it aside.
2. Set a heavy non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, then pour in the olive oil.
3. If you are starting with thinly sliced raw pork chop or chicken, cook it in the pan first for 2-3 minutes, just until it is cooked through and beginning to color.
4. Transfer the meat out of the pan, then cook the red bell pepper strips for 2 minutes.
5. Add the green onion strips to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
6. Return the cooked meat to the pan and let everything warm together for 1-2 minutes. If you are using cooked chicken, you can add it now and warm it briefly, but a non-stick pan really matters here. Another option is to let the cooked chicken lose its chill and place it over the salad instead.
7. Mound the spinach onto two serving plates, then use a turner to lift the sautéed vegetables and meat over the greens.
8. Pour the dressing into the frying pan, raise the heat slightly, and cook it for 1-2 minutes, until it smells gingery and is heated through.
9. Spoon as much dressing as you like over each salad. You may have extra dressing, and it can be kept in a jar in the refrigerator for a few days.
10. Serve right away.