Spinach Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

I can't think of a kind of salad I enjoy more than spinach with strawberries.  

Add in some candied almonds and it's practically dessert.  

Seriously.

And y'all know how I like dessert. 

Ahem.

So when we had some spinach and strawberries on hand last week, I had to make a salad.  My dear friend Christen makes an awesome spinach salad with bacon and strawberries - I wanted to make it but didn't have raspberry vinegar for the dressing, or any spare bacon lying around (what was the matter with me...we should always have bacon!) so I had to search for something else. 

When I saw this strawberry vinaigrette, I knew I had to try it.  

It's simple, goes together quickly, and only has 2 Tablespoons of oil in the whole batch - so it must be low fat....right????

And it adds simply marvelous strawberry flavor to the spinach salad.  I just loved it.  

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
(dressing from The Gracious Pantry)

Dressing:
(makes 1 1/3 cups)

1/2 pound fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp. honey (or more to taste if your berries aren't very sweet)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (use organic, raw vinegar if possible)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust honey to taste.

Salad:
1/4 cup sliced/slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
8-10 cups fresh spinach
Sliced strawberries

In a small skillet over medium heat, stir almonds and sugar until sugar is dissolved and almonds are toasted. Be careful not to scorch them, stirring often and reducing the heat if necessary.  The sugar takes several minutes to melt.  Pour onto a plate and crumble into pieces once cool.

In a large bowl, toss spinach, sliced strawberries, and candied almonds. Pour dressing over to taste.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad - SRC

We have been in our new house for just over a week now.....and while we only have a couple of photos on the wall (where the previous owners had left nails), we have gotten through enough of the boxes to find the essentials and settle in, somewhat.
Having the flu sweep through our family certainly hasn't helped the process. It's hard to get anything done when you're caring for sick kiddos.  And poor Grant was hit hardest of all.  Me, well, I'm escaping with just a few days of body aches and some serious congestion - no body-racking coughs or fevers.
Blech.

But it's reveal day for my Secret Recipe Club group - so I had to make a little time for blogging.

This time I was assigned to La Phemme Phoodie.  Wendy is a lawyer by day, a foodie all the rest of the time.  She has some great articles on her blog about legal issues in food blogging, such as Recipe Attribution
and Trademark Infringement, along with several others.   She also has quite a few gluten-free recipes that sound so tempting, like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes and Lemon Blueberry Bars with Coconut Crust..

But when I saw the recipe for this salad, I knew I just had to try it.  The spicy chipotle peppers are tempered by the mellow sour cream and tangy lime juice in the dressing, and the combination of crisp greens with the Tex-Mex ingredients is delightful.

The dressing is very thick, so it doesn't pour very well, but when you give everything good toss, it ends up coating the salad quite nicely.  The original recipe called for quite a bit of cilanto.  They say either you love or hate cilantro. Grant is definitely in the "hate" category.  He despises the stuff.  So I left it out.

The recipe also called for avocado - but since I seem to have developed a sensitivity to it (it gives me a horrible stomach ache for hours afterwards - has anyone else ever heard of/experienced that??) I omitted it also.

I decided to saute the chicken in barbecue sauce instead of just plain roasting it - we loved it, but you could certainly cook the chicken seasoned however you prefer.

My girls thought this was a little on the spicy side, but Grant, Corban, and I thought it was great.  Grant even went so far as to say it was one of his favorite meals.  Hands down.  He doesn't say that often, so I know that it's a real winner.

Thanks, Wendy, for inspiring this awesome salad!!

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad (adapted from La Phemme Phoodie)

Dressing:
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 T. minced chipotle chile, canned in adobe sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground chili powder
4-5 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Salad:
1-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T. oil
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

3 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves
3-4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn (toss in colandar with beans and rinse with hot water to thaw)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado (optional)

Corn chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

To prepare dressing, combine the first 7 ingredients, whisking well.  Stir in cilantro, if desired.  Set aside.

To prepare salad, begin with the chicken.  (If you have leftover roasted or cooked chicken, you can substitute it with no problems).  Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Heat the oil in a large skillet, add chicken and barbecue sauce, and cook over medium heat until no pink remains in chicken.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, romaine, tomatoes, red onion, beans, corn, cheese, avocado, and cooked chicken.  Pour dressing over the top and stir gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

If you think you'll have leftovers, I recommend keeping the chicken and dressing in separate containers from the salad, so nothing gets soggy or wilted.

I forgot to add the cheese for the photos.  We added it at the table.  Delish! 

Linked to Trick or Treat Tuesday

Pistachio Fluff Fruit Salad

This delightful fruity fluffy dessert/salad stuff certainly defies most of my nutritional requirements for something healthy to feed my family, but it is so delicious and addictive, I can't resist making it once in awhile.  I've made it for MOPS gatherings several times and it is always a hit, and it was quickly devoured at the church potluck I made it for recently.

One of the things I like about it is its versatility.  You can substitute fruit cocktail and/or chunks of pineapple for some of the oranges, add sliced bananas or diced apples if you wish, stir in nuts or coconut if you want.....or not.  I like it with lots of mandarin oranges, but that's just me.  My girls especially love it too.


Recipe: (from Allrecipes)

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 (3 oz) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups miniature marshmallows
3 (11 oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 c. flaked coconut
chopped pecans, optional

In a large bowl, stir together crushed pineapple and pudding mix until well mixed.  Fold in whipped topping.  Add marshmallows, oranges, and coconut if desired.  Stir well.  Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Top with chopped nuts before serving if desired.

Taste of Fall Salad

I didn't include the dressing in the photo....it was a couple of hours before we would eat and I didn't want the lettuce to get soggy.

This recipe from Taste of Home (Oct/Nov '09 issue) caught my eye a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and although salads aren't part of the traditional menu for our family, I just thought it might be a nice addition - something healthy and refreshing amidst all the carb-loaded delicacies. 

It really was lovely.  And I even forgot to buy the fresh parmesan to grate on top.....and it was still good.

I do think that next time I'll add a little sugar to the dressing....just personal preference.  (Oops....just as I'm typing up this recipe, I realized that it does call for sugar in the dressing and I forgot to put it in there!  Geez, I really messed this salad up and it was still delicious!)

The pecans were surprisingly (to me, anyway) delicious.....they looked burnt when I was done cooking them, but it was just the balsamic vinegar making them dark.  I made them a couple of days ahead of time, which worked nicely.

The addition of juicy pears to a salad was wonderful.....I loved the variation from the usual tomatoes. 

Recipe:

2/3 c. pecan halves

2 T. balsamic vinegar

Dash cayenne pepper

Dash ground cinnamon

1 T. sugar

Dressing

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

2 T. sugar

1 t. Dijon mustard

1/8 t. salt

1 pkg (9 oz) leafy green romaine (or desired salad greens)

1-2 medium pears, thinly sliced

1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large heavy skillet, cook the pecans, 2 T. vinegar, cayenne and cinnamon over medium heat until nuts are toasted, about 4 minutes.  Sprinkle with 1 T. sugar.  Cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until sugar is melted. (my sugar never did completely melt).  Spread on foil to cool.

Place salad greens in a large bowl.

Combine the dressing ingredients; drizzle over greens and toss to coat.  Arrange the greens, pear slices, and pecans on six salad plates.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Chicken Salad

I love all kinds of chicken salad - this one was just a mixture of a few ideas from other recipes and based on what I had on hand. It was delicious tucked inside crescent rolls and baked for 11-13 minutes @ 375°, but I didn't get a photo of that.....so when I ate leftovers as a sandwich the next day, I snapped a few. It's delicious cold too.

Recipe:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper, or other herb seasoning

1/4 green bell pepper, diced

1 green onion, diced

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)

1/4 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat is fine)

Preheat oven to 350°. Season chicken breasts as desired (I used Garlic and Wine seasoning from the Melting Pot Restaurant - it's wonderful!) and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until done. Cool and cut into small chunks. Add all other ingredients and combine well. Add additional salt and/or pepper if needed. Chill until serving.

Chicken Salad - Mexican Style

Another find from foodgawker - this delicious chicken salad is awesome with a bowl of tortilla chips. My kids decided they weren't fans of it, however, until I put it in between tortillas, added a bit more shredded cheese, and made quesadillas.....then they loved it! This combination would also be yummy made into taquitos.

I just love simple recipes that can be used in different ways.

Recipe: (adapted from One Lovely Life)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced*
1 (14.5oz) can black beans, rinsed
1 (4oz) can green chiles (don't drain)
1 c shredded Colby Jack cheese
1/3 c low-fat sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt (I used sour cream)
1/3 c light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp (1/2 package) taco seasoning
juice of 1 lime
other: tortilla chips, lime wedges, olive slices to serve

Directions:
In a large bowl combine cooked chicken, black beans, green chiles, and cheese. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, taco seasoning and lime juice. Combine well.

Serve with tortilla chips and garnish with lime wedges and/or sliced olives.

*I roasted the chicken breasts brushed with olive oil & sprinkled with salt and pepper at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Okay, so this is called Loaded Baked Potato Salad, but I didn't actually bake the potatoes. You CAN, of course, but I didn't have the time. I think the whole point is for the end result to taste similar to a loaded baked potato. I thought it really did...even with the boiled potatoes!

I made this for our Independence Day barbecue and absolutely loved it. Grant even enjoyed it, and he normally won't eat potato salad, or anything with mayo in it, for that matter. All of our guests thought it was delicious as well. I did make a few minor adjustments to how this is written, as my potatoes were small and I used a bunch of them, so I just increased the amount of mayo a bit (I ran out of sour cream) to get the proper consistency and I ended up using a whole pound of regular (not thick-cut) bacon. Adjust things as you see fit. Enjoy!

Recipe: (adapted from evil shenanigans)

4 large russet potatoes

1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)

1/2 cup sour cream (again, light is fine)

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped chives, divided

8 strips bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

salt and pepper

Peel and cube the potatoes. Cook in salted water until fork-tender. Drain and cool.

Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream. Add 3/4 of the chives, salt, and pepper. Fold in cheese and bacon. Chill for 30 minutes (if you have the time....I didn't, and it worked out just fine).

Fold the cooked potatoes into the dressing and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with remaining chives and bacon, if desired.

Broccoli Salad

This is one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli. It makes a great potluck dish or side dish for a cook-out....and nearly everybody likes it. It is definitely best eaten within a day or so, because the bacon gets soggy and the nuts lose their nice texture. I made it with grapes, but you can certainly use raisins or dried cranberries with good results as well. The original recipe (from Allrecipes) also called for sunflower seeds, but since I couldn't find any already shelled, I used toasted walnuts instead.

Recipe:

8-10 slices bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 large head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces (I used 3 small heads)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup red grapes, cut in halves/quarters OR raisins
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts OR sunflower seeds

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. (I cook turkey bacon on a foil-lined cookie sheet @ 400° until browned)

In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, onion and grapes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and nuts or sunflower seeds.

Ranch Chicken and Bacon Pasta Salad

I like pasta salads, a lot. Grant....not so much.....he prefers his pasta hot. I made this one for a picnic with the hopes that he would enjoy its flavors, despite his not liking mayo. Well, he did eat it and didn't complain, but it wouldn't be his first choice for a dinner. I, however, thought it was delicious and definitely plan on making it again. I got the recipe from here.

Recipe:

• 1 cup mayonnaise (lowfat or fat-free are fine)
• 1 cup Ranch dressing (MSG free)
• 2 cups veggies of choice (I used sliced grape tomatoes and chopped green peppers; you could also use olives, green onions, cucumbers, peas, whatever suits your fancy)
• 1/2 lb. shredded or diced fully cooked chicken
• 1/2 lb. diced and cooked bacon (I used turkey bacon)
• 1 lb. pasta of your choice, cooked and rinsed with cold water
• 1 c. shredded cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and Ranch dressing. Add the veggies, chicken, and bacon. Stir to combine.
Add the chilled pasta and toss to coat. Stir in the shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
That's it! It does make a lot, so be sure you have a crowd to feed or really enjoy leftovers for days!

This post is linked to Picnic Recipes: a 4 Moms Link Up and Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Oriental Chicken Salad

This came straight from Tammy's Recipes - thanks, Tammy! I made this yummy salad for dinner last week and Grant and I enjoyed it a lot. The kids....well, not so much. Corban normally loves salad, but he's a big ranch dressing sort of kid.....this dressing was NOT his favorite. Marissa picked at it and complained about the "sauce" also, and Annika just ate the chicken.

In the dressing, I used sesame oil instead of olive - more "Oriental" that way - but sesame oil is tremendously strong, so next time I'll use even less or use the olive oil just to see the difference.

Recipe:

Salad ingredients:
leaf lettuce, washed and torn

shredded red cabbage (optional)

sliced almonds

chow mein noodles

fried chicken strips (recipe below)

homemade honey mustard dressing (recipe below)

Fried chicken strips ingredients:
2 lb chicken breast

~1 1/2 c flour ( I found this to be a bit much, would use only 1 cup next time)

1 T seasoned salt

1/4 t black pepper

1 T garlic powder

1 t parsley flakes

1/4-1/3 c oil

Dressing Ingredients:
6 T honey

3 t white vinegar

8 t mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 T Dijon mustard

1/4 t sesame or olive oil

Slice chicken breast into thin strips. In a large bowl (or a ziplock bag), combine flour, seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley flakes. Add chicken strips and toss to thoroughly coat.
Heat 1/4-1/3 c oil in a large skillet over medium heat (or just slightly above medium). Add chicken and spread out over bottom of skillet. Allow to fry for several minutes, then stir. Continue stirring and frying until chicken is completely cooked. Drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to remove lumps.

To assemble salad, layer plates with lettuce, cabbage, fried chicken, chow mein noodles, almonds, and top with the homemade dressing.