A Strawberry A Day - June 22 - Spinach and Strawberry Salad

For years, every time I've seen a recipe or a photograph of a strawberry salad, I've made a mental note to make one. Not sure why it seems so appealing or speaks to me of summer, but it does. Alas, up until this A Strawberry A Day challenge, I hadn't tried to make one even though it's a super easy process.

FOOD NETWORK INSTRUCTIONS

Wednesday June 22, 2011

Bring an antioxidant-rich salad for lunch: Toss baby spinach, walnuts and sliced strawberries with red wine vinaigrette.

I used a Paula Deen Recipe from the Food Network since this is somewhat of a Food Network challenge. I changed up the recipe a bit because Mr. L doesn't like walnuts. I really liked the play of strawberries here with the spinach. I have a feeling there will be more strawberry salads in my future.

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD
(Paula Deen)

INGREDIENTS:

1 (10 to 12-ounce) package baby spinach, washed and dried
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 medium cucumber peeled, seeded and finely diced

DRESSING:

1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a large salad bowl, add the spinach, almonds, strawberries, and cucumber and toss together.

For the dressing: In a small glass bowl or jar with a tight-fighting lid, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, oil , and poppy seeds. Whisk together in the glass bowl or shake if using a jar.

Dress the salad right before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Note: I was afraid that the dressing wouldn't work. I mixed it up and then it sat for a bit when I was putting the salad together. All the little poppy seeds rose to the top of the mix, so I just shook the jar again and it mixed up...and of course they all went to the top before I could pour it out. Mix damn you little poppy seeds, mix!

Note: Though it said to make a red wine vinaigrette, there is actually a day that calls for a vinaigrette that I might be making with red wine, so I went with a white wine vinegar version here.

Note: The dressing was very light. It didn't overpower the salad. Not sure about the cucumbers, they didn't really do anything for me in the dish. I'd leave them out next time and maybe add some, oh, BACON!

 

Comments

[Cassaendra]

I've always loved strawberries in leafy green salads. This salad would have been great tonight, sitting under the shade, but we scarfed down the tub of strawberries we bought the other day. Only a week to go. Hang in there! I will be sad when that day arrives...

[@makfan]

Strawberries go well with a spinach salad, but I agree it needs bacon! Almonds work well, too.

[Chris]

Your head MUST be on strawberry overload! I couldn't come up with all of these different ideas for a week, let alone a month!

[Mrs. L]

Cassaendra - Seriously, I really did like the strawberries with the leafy greens so it will become a regular in this household when strawberries are in season.

@makfan - Another simple thing, the toasted almonds, that will become a regular deal in this house with salads.

Chris - It was a fun month, and thankfully it wasn't me who had to come up with so many things to do with strawberries...believe me, there are plenty more ideas out there too!