Brandi is natural born food lover of anything from gourmet cheeses and wine down to plain baked breads. When not in the kitchen cooking, she loves to be outdoors, especially near the ocean. She puts her focus mainly on healthy organic ea...
This healthy salad is full of sweet strawberries, tangy Gorgonzola cheese and crunchy pecans topped with a delicious maple balsamic dressing. Add grilled chicken or homemade croutons for a delicious summer meal.
This is hands down one of my all-time favorite salads. It has juicy summer strawberries, crisp baby spinach and a little bit of spicy red onion. The maple balsamic dressing really adds a sweet yet tart flavor to this salad, helping to bring all of these wonderful flavors together.
Summer strawberry salad with maple balsamic dressing recipe
Yields 2 large main dish salads or 4 smaller side salads
Ingredients:
6 cups organic baby spinach
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup pecans (optional)
1 avocado, sliced
Croutons (optional)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper into a blender and pulse to combine. With the blender running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until the dressing is mixed well. Taste the dressing to make sure it doesn't need to be seasoned further and set the dressing aside.
In a large bowl, add the baby spinach and a few tablespoons of the dressing, tossing well.
Plate the spinach and top with the strawberries, Gorgonzola cheese, avocado, red onions, pecans and croutons.
Serve extra dressing on the side. Any leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator and used within three or four days.