Warm Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad

I've been eyeing this recipe for some time. I finally made up a list of items needed (most of which, I already had), and headed to the store. I absolutely LOVE sweet potatoes. Ironic, since I hated them as a kid. The bacon pieces, almonds and diced apples are the icing on the cake, as I love a bit of crunch in a salad.

Since I am the only one in my house, who will eat spinach and sweet potatoes, I cut my recipe down to one third the original. I also substituted green onions for the leeks, because I'm too cheap to spend three bucks on a bunch of leeks. :)

Warm Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 apple diced

8 strips of bacon, diced

2 leeks, thinly sliced

6 oz of fresh baby spinach

Handful of sliced almonds for garnish

Dressing

¼ cup olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp spicy brown mustard (natural ingredients)

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp of dried basil

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat your oven to 400. Toss the diced sweet potatoes with the coconut oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes. While the sweet potatoes are baking, cook the diced bacon in a large skillet. Once the bacon is crispy, add the sliced leeks in with the bacon and saute for another 4-5 minutes. Put your spinach in a large salad bowl and add the bacon and leek mixture. Toss well, letting the warm bacon wilt the spinach. Add the apples and sweet potatoes to the salad and toss together. In a separate bowl whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad, mix well and garnish with the sliced almonds.