“The popular Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe that made the rounds a few years ago is delicious!   It is fast becoming a classic. I am sure a lot of people have made it or tasted it already.  If not, give it a try!   

It has an amazing sweet and sour dressing!   I loved this salad when it first came out.  Then I began to add other fruit and vegetables to the salad, then later cheese, raisins, nuts, grilled chicken, whatever I had on hand or felt like adding.   

 It became a nice delicious light meal instead of a side. 

Double the dressing recipe and keep it in the fridge for whenever you feel like a refreshing green salad with fruit. That way it’s faster to whip up this delicious salad! 

For me it works better with fresh spinach than any other salad greens. And because it is a sweet dressing it goes really well with some fruit in the salad. You have to pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. 

Try mixing in a variety like:  mandarin oranges, apples, pears, berries, melons, cranraisins, dried fruit, pecans, celery, carrots, meats, cheese.   

Pictured here with the spinach is strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, pistachios, raisins, and feta cheese.  But really, it is the dressing that is the star!   Enjoy!”

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil, your favorite

½  cup white vinegar

½  teaspoon paprika

½  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoon minced onion

10 ounces fresh spinach, tear leaves in half

4 cups mixed fruit, any you wish

1 cup feta cheese, or any cheese you wish

1 cup raisins, or any dried fruit you wish

¼ cup slivered almonds, or any nuts you wish

bacon bits, optional

¾ cup grilled chicken, cut up small, or any meat you wish

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl mix the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, oil, white vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onions together. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour if you can, but it is not really necessary.  It is still delicious if you use it right away.
2. Combine the spinach, fruit, and whatever else you have put into the salad. Pour in a SMALL amount of dressing at a time until everything is lightly coated.  You don’t want everything swimming in dressing and you don’t want a pool of dressing in the bottom of the bowl.  Just a light coating, and no extra.  Save the rest in the fridge for another time.