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Spinach Strawberry Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese Crumbles and Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing
Salad That Tastes Like Dessert
This sweet salad tastes indulgent but is actually quite healthy. All the sweetness comes from the strawberries and the dressing. The homemade dressing is made from agave nectar which is a natural sugar substitute derived from the blue agave plant. Agave Nectar is quite healthy and has little impact on blood sugar levels, so it’s safe for diabetics.
The rich blue cheese in this salad contrasts sharply with the sweetness of the strawberries. A bit of crunch from the almonds and this salad is better than dessert. Pair it with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio and you may have a second helping!
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Endless Variations
This recipe uses both Spinach and Mesclun mix lettuce. The spinach does add a nice bitterness to contrast the sweetness of the salad, but really any variety of lettuce would be delicious.
Try adding avocado to this recipe. The richness is so divine. Or ditch the blue cheese all together and make this salad Vegan.
Pecans, walnuts or any combination of nuts work too.
This salad is fabulous with feta too. It is much tangier than the blue cheese and really changes the flavor.
Cook Time
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Ingredients
- SPINACH STRAWBERRY SALAD
- 5 oz. Organic Baby Spinach
- 5 oz. Organic Spring Mix or Lettuce Mix of Choice
- 1/2 pound Organic Carrots, shred
- 1/2 Organic Sweet Onion, chopped
- 4 oz. Mild Blue Cheese, crumbled
- 4 oz. Almonds, chopped
- 2 cups Organic Strawberries, dried well and sliced
- 1 tsp. Organic Agave Nectar, optional, to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
- POPPY SEED DRESSING
- 4 tbsp. Organic Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 tbsp. Organic Agave Nectar
- 2 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp. Poppy Seeds
This recipe was written by Robyn Bera © 072013.
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Simple to Make!
- Wash and dry your veggies. I love my salad spinner!
- Place your lettuce in a bowl. I temporarily put a paper towel on the bottom of the bowl to catch extra moisture.
- Throw the onions and shredded carrots in the bowl. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on top and mix up your salad.
- I put both the blue cheese and nuts in small, separate bowls to serve. So either do that or add them into your salad. If your salad is going to sit overnight I suggest leaving these items separate.
- In a separate bowl combine sliced strawberries, optional agave nectar, and balsamic vinegar and mix gently. Chill. Keep separate from salad until your ready to serve.
- The salad dressing is really simple. In a Tupperware or other small container with a tight lid, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave nectar, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Close lid tightly and shake vigorously. Pour into serving dish.
- All of the components to your salad are complete! To serve, spoon a generous amount of strawberries over the top of the greens. Sprinkle with blue cheese and nuts. Drizzle with poppy seed dressing. Enjoy!
Other Healthy and Delicious Recipes
If you like this recipe then check out some of my other ones:
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Coconut Oil and Agave Nectar
Organic Chocolate Brownies with Agave Nectar
Comments
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
- Author
Thanks for the kind words and share, Kasman. Agave Nectar is really fabulous stuff. It's the consistency of honey but much sweeter - so use it sparingly. I use it in my tea, on fruit, and as a substitute for baking. It's sweetness is fructose based so it doesn't cause a sugar spike like refined sugars. Stick with the raw kind to minimize the amount of processing. Thanks for stopping by!
The picture alone captured me and drew me in, well done on that part. I've been ever curious about Agave, I've heard a lot about it but have never tried it. I think I may have to after reading this. Voting up and sharing your work, great job!
Wow. This salad looks so colorful. Thank you for sharing.
- Author
Thanks for stopping by, Firdousia.
voted up and useful....keep sharing...
Can't wait!
- Author
Oh you have to have the wine, lol! Very refreshing on a hot day!
This looks delicious. I'm going to have to make it this weekend. I think I have to have the wine with it too. :) Voted this as useful, awesome and interesting.
- Author
Thanks for the feedback! It's the dressing that really makes this salad come together. If you try it, let me know how it comes out!
This recipe looks so unique. The combination of the ingredients seems excellent, and I must say I would love to try it! Great hub, thanks for sharing this recipe!
Voted up, interesting and awesome!
Have a lovely day,
Chris Achilleos
This looks like an interesting recipe. I've never heard of this spinach strawberry salad but it sounds good. Your images help to show that especially the one at the top that really shows the salad looks delicious and tasty.
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