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Friday, August 1, 2008

Friday Food for Thought—Spinach & Strawberry Salad

I’m doing salads this month because, well, I like salads and it seems like a perfect way to round out the summer.

I've never been a fan of cooked spinach, but I love it fresh. When my kids were little they decided they didn’t like spinach, period, so devious Mom that I am, I invented Christmas Salad. And really, nothing could be simpler. Colorful fresh spinach and tomato wedges give the salad it’s name, and it was topped with a simple vinaigrette. Once my kids acquired a taste for spinach, we expanded their repertoire.

This spinach and strawberry salad is now an old standby—great for family dinners but also perfect for larger potlucks and buffet dinners.

1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and thinly sliced
1 8-ounce bag fresh spinach, washed and stems removed

Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons grated or finely chopped onion
1 to 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Put the sliced strawberries and spinach in a salad bowl. Combine the dressing ingredients and mix well. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad, toss and serve. Delish!

Until next time,
Lee

2 comments:

Gillian Layne said...

The worcestershire surprised me, but we'll have to try this. The rest sounds delicious!

Lee McKenzie said...

Gillian, I'm sure you could omit the worcestershire and not notice the difference. I've also seen a version of this recipe that calls for sesame seeds. I'm not a big fan of those but the poppy seeds are perfect.