By The healthcare disparities capstone consumes me. Dr. Okafor and I review data on maternal health and food access in East Baton Rouge. In zip codes with fewest grocery stores, pregnancy complications are highest. The data is devastating and personal — I can name the streets. She said, "Be angry and be precise." I can do both. MawMaw Shirley taught me both.
I made gumbo z'herbes — seven greens, slow-cooked, tasting like earth distilled. I thought about the mothers who cannot afford seven greens, whose children eat what the corner store provides. I will change this.
MawMaw Shirley’s gumbo z’herbes called for seven greens — mustard, turnip, collard, spinach, watercress, cabbage, and whatever else the garden gave — and the slow alchemy of time and heat. I don’t always have three hours, but I always have greens, and right now I need to stay close to them. This Blackberry Balsamic Spinach Salad isn’t gumbo, but it honors the same instinct: dark, iron-rich leaves that taste like the earth has something to say, lifted by something bright and sharp — exactly how I need to feel when I sit down with data that makes me want to weep and then stand up straighter.
Blackberry Balsamic Spinach Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
- 1/4 cup candied or toasted pecans
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and Dijon mustard until emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Prepare the salad base. Place the baby spinach in a large salad bowl. Add the sliced red onion and toss gently to distribute.
- Add toppings. Scatter the fresh blackberries and toasted pecans over the spinach. Crumble the goat cheese evenly across the top.
- Dress and serve. Drizzle the balsamic dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss lightly so the blackberries remain mostly intact, or serve the dressing on the side. Plate immediately and serve fresh.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 160mg