Strawberry Summer Salad

Hello everyone! 

It is officially summer if you couldn't tell by the DISGUSTING heat outside.  It seems that all I want to do these days is put on shorts and a baggy T-shirt, grab a popsicle, and watch Boy Meets World re-runs on my DVR.  I have so many things I want to do this summer (cook great meals, workout, shop, swim, etc) but the heat is seriously stunting my ambitions :)

My awesome sister Kelli and her husband Payne had us over for dinner a few weeks ago and I must share with you the salad recipe she made

Summer Salad with Strawberries and Feta

Recipe by Our Best Bites

–Salad greens (I just used chopped Romaine lettuce and Spinach)

–Crumbled feta cheese (This could be omitted if you're not a fan, I used the smallest amount)

–Thinly sliced red onions (Didn't have this in my fridge but will add it next time!)
 
–Sliced strawberries

–Candied pecans or walnuts (I used Candied Pecans I found at TJ's)

–Crumbled Turkey Bacon

–Honey Red Wine Vinaigrette to taste

Combine Ingredients in a large serving bowl and drizzle vinaigrette dressing on top. 

Serve immediately.

Spinach Salad with Sweet Onion Vinaigrette

I got this salad recipe from

www.bake-aholic.com

I absolutely love spinach salads but most require a lot of ingredients I don't normally have lying around my house.  I also LOVE a sweet vinaigrette but unfortunately most of them are loaded with SUGAR.

I love this dressing recipe because the red onion gives a subtle sweetness to it and it makes it an awesome pink color!
I made this salad a few weeks ago for dinner and paired it with a Turkey Bacon Avocado Panini.

Spinach Salad:

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. spinach
• 1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup toasted almonds (350 degrees for 8 minutes)
• 1/2 lb crisp bacon (I prefer turkey bacon)
• red onion slices (optional)

Sweet Onion Vinaigrette:

•  1/8 of a red onion
• 1/3 cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) 
• 3 T. sugar (I use xylitol)
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

Puree dressing ingredients in a blender.  Toss salad.

Kim's Notes:

Buy organic spinach at Costco or Trader Joes since SPINACH is #5 on the DIRTY DOZEN list of pesticide residue. 

Using XYLITOL instead of regular TABLE SUGAR is a GREAT idea for many reason: It is JUST AS sweet as sugar, it has a glycemic index of 10 instead of 90, it's actually GOOD for your teeth instead of BAD, and it has 40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbohydrates! It is also one of the FEW sugar substitutes that isn't HARMFUL to your health.  You can buy this at Sprouts or online.