spinach slaw with crispy pepitas

The original recipe for this was featured in an article I wrote for Bon Appetit magazine about a Mexican holiday fiesta; it fed 16 people and included crisp-fried chiles as well as the pepitas. This version was scaled down in size and calories for my healthy cooking class at Rancho La Puerta in Mexico. You can use kale instead of spinach (curly or Tuscan).

ingredients

1 pound fresh spinach (not baby spinach)
12 large red radishes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 teaspoon canola oil

Lowfat Dressing
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces cotija cheese or feta cheese
Freshly ground pepper

directions

Pinch spinach leaves off stems; discard stems. Rinse and spin or pat dry leaves. Stack a handful of leaves on a cutting board, roll up, and cut crosswise into thin strips or chiffonade. Repeat with remaining spinach.

Trim tops and roots off radishes. Wash radishes, then stack in the feed tube of a food processor fitted with the coarse grater; shred. Put shredded radishes in a colander to drain off any excess moisture. Put spinach, radishes, and green onions in a large salad bowl; set aside or chill until ready to serve.

Put pumpkin seeds in a bowl and drizzle with oil; toss well. Spread in a pie plate and roast in a 400° oven until they are lightly browned and smell toasty, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To make the dressing: in a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk vinegars, lime juice, and mustard with a fork to blend, then drizzle in the oil. Whisk until blended.

To serve the slaw, add pumpkin seeds to the bowl of slaw. Pour the dressing over and toss well. Divide among salad plates and with your fingers, crumble cotija or feta cheese over each serving. Season to taste with pepper.