Farmer’s Market finds can inspire a great meal, whether simple or elaborate. I’ve done both. But I always enjoy it when I can toss something together that is both refreshing and delightful. Here’s one of my favorite go-to salads. (And for the record, it is already October and the local California strawberries are still full of flavor.)
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Here’s a recipe that was simple and delish! For our starter, my friend and I simply tossed together a bunch of rinsed, dried baby spinach, sliced strawberries, some sliced almonds and a vinaigrette made from balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice (we used the same lemon we needed to zest for the main course).
Nutritional info per serving: Cal 90, Fat 7g, Chol 0mg, Sodium 40mg Fiber 3g, Sugar 3g, Protein 2g
Lemon Tamari Dressing
For an alternative to a simple vinaigrette as described above, try this creamy, tangy dressing – a great complement to the salad (and the fish): Simply use of of the rind-less lemons (use half and cut into small pieces), some low sodium soy sauce or tamari, a clove of garlic and olive oil. Place cut-up lemon into VitaMix blender, add 2-3 Tablespoons of soy sauce, one small clove of garlic (or 1/4 tsp of garlic powder) and blend at high-speed. Then carefully and slowly drizzle in olive oil at medium speed until your desired consistency (maybe 1/4 – 1/3 cup). Note: A little goes a long way so drizzle on just a teaspoon over your done fish to make it even more delicious!
Simply toss in chunks of cooked chicken or salmon. A half a cup will do. (Or enjoy separately with the salad as a side). It’s a perfect way to use up leftovers and enhance the next day’s meal. Check out my Almond Crusted Salmon – it’s a nice complement to this refreshing salad. In fact the creamy lemon tamari dressing is a nice tangy addition to the salmon.
