cooking ala mel

healthy recipes and the occasional craft

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Spinach Arugula Strawberry Salad

I am loving berry season right now.  I haven’t been without strawberries, raspberries and blueberries the entire time we’ve lived in this apartment.  Now, I know it’s only been about two weeks, but it’s still something to be excited about!  I am a berry fanatic.  I’m fine eating them on their own, but I’ve been looking for more uses for them..I made blueberry muffins, and next I’ll probably do some strawberry muffins.  I’m sure blueberry/raspberry/strawberry pancakes will be made at some point.  If only I had a waffle iron.  But these are all sweet things.  I need savory sometimes, too.  Enter in this salad.

Nutty arugula, the more mild spinach, toasted walnuts, balsamic marinated strawberries..this salad is phenomenal.  I was never that big of a fan of fruit on my salad.  It sort of weirded me out.  But I’m totally a fan now.  Let’s all put more berries on our salads.

I found this salad on shutterbean.  I absolutely adore Tracy’s site.  You should totally check it out.  There’s a lot of yummy food..and decorating tips..and lots of pretty things.  But anyway, back to this salad.  I didn’t follow the recipe exactly because Alex didn’t want fruit on his salad, so I just made a single serving.. I used our two Mistos to make my dressing by just spraying a bit of balsamic and a bit of olive oil.  It was delicious, but I bet it’d be even better if you actually made the dressing you’re supposed to.  I did marinate the strawberries.  They’re delicious.  Don’t be afraid of balsamic on strawberries.  So good.  And I toasted walnuts instead of pecans.  Yum yum.  But anyway.  Make this salad.  I’ve adapted the recipe below.
Spinach Arugula Strawberry Salad
1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
about 3 1/2 cups arugula, washed, dried & trimmed
about 3 1/2 cups spinach leaves, rinsed & dried

1/2 cup walnuts

Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes at 350ºF.  Marinate the strawberries in 1 T of the balsamic vinegar for 5-10 minutes.  Mix together the olive oil, other T of balsamic, salt & pepper in a small bowl.  Sit aside.  In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, arugula, walnuts, dressing & strawberries.  Serve and enjoy!