A Salad for Tomorrow

I received an email newsletter from LiveStrong.com with a recipe for Lentil and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Tart Cherry Vinaigrette.  The recipe looked intriguing, and I plan to make it with some changes, which I'll note in parenthesis:

Ingredients
3/4 cup green lentils (I bought steamed lentils from Trader Joe's)
7 tablespoons red-wine vinegar (I'll be using unfiltered apple cider vinegar)
8 bacon slices, about 6 ounces (This will be replaced with diced pancetta)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped shallot (Trader Joe's has diced shallots, garlic and onion which I'll be using)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup dried unsweetened tart cherries, about 3 ounces (dried cranberries are cheaper, so I'll use those instead)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups baby or regular spinach leaves (I have a bag of spring salad mix to use instead of this)
1/3 cup blue cheese, about 2 ounces (I hate blue cheese, so I'll be using feta instead)

Directions
In a heavy saucepan cover lentils with water by 2 inches and simmer until just tender but not falling apart, about 15 minutes. Drain lentils well in a sieve. Rinse lentils under cold running water to stop cooking and drain well. In a bowl toss lentils with 2 tablespoons vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. (Lentils may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring lentils to room temperature before proceeding.)

In a skillet cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp and with tongs transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon.

In cleaned saucepan heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook shallot, stirring, until golden brown. Stir in water, cherries, sugar, and remaining 5 tablespoons vinegar and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a slow stream until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Add half of vinaigrette to lentils and toss well. In another bowl toss spinach with half of lentil mixture, half of bacon, half of cheese, remaining vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste.

Divide remaining lentil mixture among 6 plates and top with spinach mixture. Sprinkle salads with remaining bacon and cheese.