Friday, June 13, 2014

Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad


The local farmers market is a big deal on Sundays. Fourth street is closed down next to the town Commons area. Here is where all the action is. The locals and tourist alike check out the vegetables, plants, jams and jellies, pottery and other assorted things. This last week I picked up some freshly picked spinach and the sweetest most delicious little strawberries, they were like candy.


As usual I did not have much of a plan, but knew I had to come up with something pretty quick as the shelf life on the berries is pretty small. The most obvious choice at the time was this spinach salad. I added some cut-up chunks of avocado and some sliced almonds and finished with my white balsamic dressing. Everything on it's own was so fresh and delicious that I decided to keep the ingredient list simple. Here you have it; a nice light salad that is bursting with flavor.


Ingredients:

Salad:

1 bunch spinach (washed and spun)
1 basket strawberries (halved)
1 medium avocado (cut into chunks)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon dried mustard
1 small pinch of salt

To prepare:

In a large serving bowl add the spinach and top with strawberries and avocado. In a small jar with a lid combine all dressing ingredients, shake well. Taste, add more salt if necessary. Drizzle the salad with the dressing; add the almonds and mix well.



Cheri Savory Spoon
Cheri Savory Spoon

Mysavoryspoon was first started in 2010 as a way to journal recipes that I had collected from cookbooks, magazines, family and friends. Most everything was savory, using legumes and whole grains. Along the way I discovered a love for baking. Now a couple times a month you might see some type of sweet pie or treat.

57 comments:

  1. I envy you the farmers market. This salad sounds perfect for a summers day :)

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  2. I bet that was fantastic. Everything fresh and bright with a touch of strawberry sweetness. Perfect. GG

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    1. Thanks GG, it was, when it comes to strawberries there is no comparison between the store bought and the ones you buy at the farm stands.

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  3. That sounds delicious! Awesome way to prepare fresh strawberries and spinach. :) Love the addition of avocado too.

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    1. Hi June, thanks I'm a avocado fiend, so really anything I can add it on and it works great.

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  4. What a beautiful salad, Cheri. This is exactly the sort of thing I like to eat esp now that the weather is so hot & humid.

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  5. I've become addicted to our Sunday farmer's market too. I got lucky and bumped into a Thursday afternoon market one day after lunch with a friend in a nearby town. I got the best strawberries. Your salad is so smart!

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    1. Hi Monica, I know there is no comparison to store bought strawberries, they are like candy.

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  6. I can just taste those sweet little strawberries --- they are worlds away from winter berries!

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  7. Cheri, I just visited my sister in Santa Barbara and went to the farmer's market there. I was just in heaven. So many beautiful fruits, vegetables, and flowers. I bet it is like that in Oregon, too. They are just not the same in Arizona. I love that you put avocado with the strawberries and your dressing sounds delicious. I have never had white balsamic vinegar, but would love to try it.

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    1. Hi Shari, picked up the white balsamic vinegar at Trader Joe's, it really is life changing, love it.

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  8. Oh, that looks so yummy, Cheri! Strawberries and spinach just seem to be a marriage made in taste bud heaven. Your balsamic dressing is so perfect for it. Have never thought to add avocado to it but I will next time. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Hi Robyn, love the phrase "taste bud heaven" you should patent that. The avocado is great with the strawberries!

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  9. That salad has Mike written all over it. Avocado, strawberries, spinach and balsamic dressing: perfect!

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  10. Markets and Strawberries=Summer=Bliss.

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    1. Your right, it is bliss, love fresh fruit and veggies!

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  11. Great looking salad, looks delicious! I love strawberries, so I use them a lot in baking cakes and pies. They are really sweet this year.

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    1. You are so right Michael, they are so sweet this year. Thanks for stopping by.

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  12. Great combination of flavors and bites! That balsamic makes everything even better!

    ela h.
    Gray Apron

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  13. A salad with strawberries and avocado sounds wonderful!

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  14. The salad looks so fresh and the dressing sounds amazing. We just started harvesting strawberries from the garden and I love them in salads!

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    1. Hi Mindy, this is really the second year we've been eating berries in our salads and I just love them.

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  15. Nothing better than visiting the farmer's market on Sunday morning! This salad reminds me of how much I adore the combination of strawberries and avocado. Looks downright delicious!

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  16. Cheri, I certainly enjoy the combination of sweet and savory as well - the colors of the summer berries together with the lovely green young spinach leaves is just wonderful. Nothing beats fresh summer produce.
    Have a great Sunday!

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    1. Hi Andrea, summertime does have the most wonderful produce, thats for sure. Thanks!

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  17. This is one of my family's favorite salads. I use a different dressing but the basic ingredients are so delicious together. How wonderful to buy everything fresh at a farmers' market.

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    1. It really is,love this time of year. Thanks for stopping by Susan!

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  18. A delicious combination of flavours! I love it!

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  19. Love that you have a farmer's market available! You salad looks so summery and delicious I can almost taste it!

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    1. Thanks, I feel very fortunate, thanks for stopping by.

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  20. those strawberries, oh my, I want. The salad looks so darn good I can dig into it right now.

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    1. Hi Marlene, the salad was great, you can't go wrong with fresh ingredients!

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  21. When ingredients are so fresh, you just don't need to make it too complicated, do you? I can almost smell those fresh flavours while looking at your photographs, Cheri! How wonderful to have such beautiful ingredients close by!

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  22. Your local farmer's market sounds wonderful Cheri! I always look forward to visiting ours on the weekend too. Love this spinach salad, the strawberries look fantastic!

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    1. Thanks Kelly, it really is, it is just getting started.

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  23. this salad looks really scrumptious. i just want to dive in:) love your photos.

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  24. Cheri, this salad looks so delicious! I love adding fresh strawberries to salads, and this combo looks and sounds beautiful!

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  25. Beautiful salad and very timely. I bought a bunch of strawberries this morning and was trying to think of a good combo for a salad.

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    1. Hi Lea Ann, love salads and or desserts this time of year, maybe one will balance out the other.

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  27. An original salad and wonderful combination! Fresh, healthy and delightful.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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