Plump juicy and sweet strawberries are the main attraction in this strawberry avocado spinach salad. We’ll top it off with a citrusy poppyseed dressing and voila! Your new favorite spring/summer salad is here.



Just look at all those beautiful strawberries?

I’m crushin’ hard on this avocado strawberry spinach salad situation that comes dressed with a citrusy poppyseed dressing, makes for excellent spring//summer lunches, and quick and easy dinners too. Bright, colorful, and eye-catching, basically all the things I love about a salad other than the most obvious one which is FLAVOR. Ever since the biological clock stuck the big 3-0, it feels like my body craves meals that are packed with nutrition. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a brownie or three right afterward because I have the worst sweet tooth that kicks in 10 seconds after I’ve finished eating a meal, but when it comes to the actual meal itself, I need the greens, the goods, and let’s not pretend I’m above it, the dressing.

Guys I can’t stop, won’t stop with this beautiful berry spinach salad!

We’ve got juicy, plump blueberries, buttery avocado, spicy red onions, creamy feta cheese, crisp baby spinach leaves, and sweet strawberries. Toss that all up extra generously with homemade poppyseed dressing and a hint of salt and pepper.

It’s refreshing and oh so filling.




And if you’re questioning the usage of crumbled feta cheese in a salad that’s loaded with sweet berries, hold the phone, think about the way creamy, salty, and rich flavors of that feta will pair with acidy, tangy-sweet berries. I’m telling you this combo just can’t be beaten!

Besides all the most obvious usage of strawberries, like pies, cupcakes, and shortcakes, I wanted to highlight how you can naturally incorporate more fruit into your everyday meals.

And with the weekend about 24 hours away I’m really trying to do this one diet on the weekdays called vegetables + fruits + lean proteins and attempting to keep it real where food doesn’t make me want to hate life. But really I already know when Friday strikes, it all kinda goes flying out the window until Sunday. A salad in one hand and 5 glazed and sprinkled doughnuts in the other, life is all about balance I tell you.

How about we make a deal where weekend foods don’t count? K thanks.





Noteworthy, i’ve made this strawberry spinach salad about 20 times — yes it’s that good. The dressing lasts for about a week in the refrigerator so meal prep it on Sunday’s and enjoy tossing a few ingredients together and calling it lunch on weekdays.

You can even prep this salad in your meal prep contains (these are my favorite) and pack it to go. Or if you work from home, step away from that desk for 5 seconds to toss the contents of your refrigerator into a bowl and drizzle it homemade poppyseed dressing. And when you’re too tired to cook, dice that leftover chicken from the weekend and add it in and make your strawberry spinach salad game stronger. ?? And if you’re summer 2014 was also all about Panera’s Strawberry Poppyseed Salad then toss in a can of mandarin oranges, chopped chicken, and a handful of pecans//almonds//walnuts and sit back and bask in the glory of your mega salad making skills.


PREPARATION


DRESSING: whisk together the juices, mustard, mayo, honey, and poppy seeds. Stream in the olive oil as you whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

SALAD: Toss all the ingredients for the salad together with desired amount of dressing. Serve immediately.

MAKE AHEAD: salad ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and kept separate from the dressing until ready to serve. Leftover dressing will last for up to 5 days, covered in the refrigerator.

NOTES:

Sometimes I like to add grilled chicken to this salad along with mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, and chopped pecans for a different twist!




INGREDIENTS


POPPYSEED DRESSING

2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon EACH lemon juice, lime juice, AND orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

6 cups baby spinach
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 large or 2 small avocados, diced
1/2 a medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (195 g)    Servings Per Recipe: 4

Calories 266.1    Calories from Fat 190 72%    Total Fat 21.2 g 32%    Saturated Fat 3.7 g 18%    Cholesterol 13.1 mg 4%    Sodium 295.3 mg 12%    Total Carbohydrate 18.6 g 6%    Dietary Fiber 5.6 g 22%    Sugars 6.2 g 24%    Protein 3.5 g 6%



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