As the weather warms up, now is the perfect time to enjoy some fresh, seasonal produce. Always brimming with ideas and inspiration, our executive chef, Obataiye Allen, recently made an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning Washington” and shared some healthy recipes to welcome in the new season. Fortunately, you needn’t go far to taste his delicious creations, as he developed the menus for our signature restaurants, featuring regionally inspired cuisine and local ingredients.

After working in such prestigious kitchens as The Greenbrier, The Gaylord, and PinehurstResortand serving as executive chef at The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Fairfax, VA, Obataiye brought his culinary skills to The Providence and has been tantalizing taste buds ever since! Here he shares two healthy salads, loaded with flavor, that are as delicious as they are easy to make:

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing and Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 bag baby spinach, pre-cut and washed(about two handfuls per serving)
8 ounces Applewood bacon
4 ounces shallots
8 ounces Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces sugar
Chicken
Heirloom tomatoes
Olive oil
Thyme
Rosemary
Fresh dill
Garlic
1 egg, hard-boiled, sliced in quarters

Steps:

1. Cook bacon until crispy in the oven.
2. Save the bacon grease and add it to the shallots and Worcestershire sauce in a pot on
   the stove.
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and add sugar.
4. Roast plain chicken in oven or grill until an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
5. Cut heirloom tomatoes in half and toss in olive oil, thyme, rosemary, fresh dill, and garlic.
6. Roast tomatoes seed side up at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.
7. Boil egg and slice in quarters.
8. Toss spinach in warm bacon dressing.
9. Plate spinach, and arrange chicken, egg, and tomatoes on top.
10. Enjoy!

Watercress Salad With Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 bag watercress salad mix (two handfuls per serving)
Roasted heirloom tomatoes
Olive oil
Thyme
Rosemary
Tarragon
Basil
Fresh dill
Garlic
8 ounces butter
1 ounce Old Bay Seasoning
Shrimp
Burrata cheese
Aged balsamic vinegar

Steps:

1. Cut heirloom tomatoes in half and toss in olive oil, rosemary, tarragon, basil, fresh dill, and garlic.
2. Roast tomatoes seed side up at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.
3. Peel and de-vein shrimp.
4. Combine butter, Old Bay Seasoning, 1 tablespoon of fresh dill, and 1 ounce of garlic. Simmer over low heat for five minutes.
5. Pour over shrimp and oven roast at 350 degrees for eight minutes.
6. Slice burrata cheese one-half inch thick.
7. Plate watercress, and layer tomatoes and cheese over it.
8. Drizzle olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar over it.
9. Top with shrimp, and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Enjoy!

For more on how to create these healthy salads and to see executive Chef Obataiye in action, visit The tastes of spring with Chef Obataiye Allen