Asian Spinach Salad

This is really more of a side dish than a full-on salad.  It goes great as an appetizer for stir-fry, or with a bunch of other appetizers like dumplings, edamame, veggie rolls, etc.  Plus, it’s easy to make.  And some days, you just need something that is easy to do.

Tim recently had foot/ankle surgery.  This is not our first time at this particular rodeo.  Two years ago, he had the first side done, and it was no picnic.  Hence the waiting two years to do the other side.  You know its time for surgery when a toddler has better balance than you and falls down less frequently.

Naturally, we saved all the necessary devices: crutches, shower chair, waterproof shower sleeve, adjustable bedside table, ice machine and knee wheeler (like a 4 wheel bike or scooter, but you rest one knee on it instead of sitting on it).  We pretty much look like a medical supply store around here.

This time around though, he decided to get a new knee wheeler since the turning radius on the old one made it like trying to turn a semi around in a driveway meant for a Mini Cooper.

The new one arrived the day of the surgery and Tim suggested I get some help putting it together (Okay, so what he actually said was, “You aren’t going to be able to do it, so why don’t you ask someone to help you (meaning do it for me.)”

He is lucky he was stoned on the anesthesia  and in post-op at the time of this suggestion, since it meant I was willing to forgive him for being an idiot.

“So, I’m too stupid, to figure out how to pull a scooter from the box and attach the handle (this was all that was required of the last one)?  Gee, I hope I can find my way back to the house today.  You’ll probably have to help me put the key into the lock and open the door since it’s most likely beyond my mental abilities.”

“I’m just saying, this one is going to be hard.”

“Yeah, okay.  Pretty sure I can handle it since I can read directions.  It’s a knee scooter.  I’m not rebuilding a ’62 corvette.”

Famous last words.

I got him settled, then went downstairs and opened the box.

Holy crap.  There were more parts to this thing than a lego Death Star.  Also, number one in the directions was: First, start by disassembling the parts that have come assembled.

Seriously?!?!  Why would you assemble something only to have me take it apart and then put it back to gather again?  What kind of sadistic jerks do you have working at your factories?  Who is your HR head, the Marquis de Sade?

And to add insult to injury, I needed a bicycle pump because the tires on this thing make an ATV look like a kiddie ride at the local amusement park.  You actually had to inflate three of them to a set psi (no idea why only three, but this definitely adds to my suspicions that they are torturing people).

I took one look at this monstrosity and decided, “I’m out!”

I prefer to think that I was wise enough to determine how my time could  most efficiently be used, as opposed to admitting Tim was right.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups packed baby spinach
• 2/3 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions, white and light green parts
• 1/3-1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 3 Tablespoons lime juice (about 1 medium/large lime)
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Stack spinach leaves, a few at a time, roll up and slice horizontally.  Repeat till all the spinach is cut into ribbons. (You can just roughly chop it into bite-sized pieces if you don’t have the time to roll and slice, but it does look nicer if you chiffonade it).
2. Put the spinach, carrot, onions, cashews and sesame seeds into a medium bowl.
3. In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, or in a small bowl with a whisk, combine the lime juice through the pinch of salt and shake or whisk till well blended.  Pout over the salad and toss well to combine.
4. Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour before serving for best taste.

Enjoy!