Saturday, March 27, 2010

Strawberry Spinach Salad

It's strawberry season again, finally! Yesterday while grocery shopping I noticed that my grocer had strawberries on sale for $.99 a quart.  Amazing!  They looked really good so we bought 4 quarts.  We will eats lots of them fresh but of course there are many amazing things to do with strawberries.  I like that it is quite fashionable to add fruit to salads these days.  Since we are encouraged to eat more fruits and veggies anyway and green leafy veggies are very high in vital nutrients that we should be eating more of, I will be making this salad alot this spring again.  I just read an article in a diabetes magazine that people should use vinegar in their diets.  Bob Greene (Oprah's trainer for the past 16 years) in the article "encourages everyone to use vinegar, whether or not they have diabetes, because it lowers the glycemic index of a carb-containing meal.  The leading theories:  vinegar reduces starch digestion--so you're actually taking in fewer carbohydates--and it slows the rate at which the stomach empties, leading to a slower, more even trickling of glucose into the bloodstream.  I like to know when I am eating something delicious that it is also good for my body.  This salad has greens and also vinegar as well as healthy strawberries.  Heart healthy nuts can also be added.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries with Raspberry Viniagrette


For each salad I put a large handful of  pre-washed baby spinach into a salad bowl.  I then slice a few strawberries in,  add about 1 T. slivered almonds either toasted or not.  Sometimes I slice in a kiwi too.  Spoon about 2 T. of the viniagrette over each salad.  Fresh raspberries or blueberries can be substituted or use macadamia or hazelnuts etc.

For the Raspberry Viniagrette:


2 T. raspberry vinegar
2 T. olive oil
2 T. raspberry jam

Whisk the ingredients together and serve over salad.  You can also use balsamic vinegar or other flavored vinegars.  Vary the flavor of the jam as well.  This of course tastes best with homemade jam or jelly.


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