Spinach Salad with Home made Balsamic Vinegarette Dressing

I love spinach salad. First time I ever tried spinach salad was at the corner bakery in Frisco, TX. This bakery is a local chain in the area which serves some of the best salads and soups, along with their signature sandwiches. I often used to visit it with my girl friends or just my daughter for a nice lunch. The lunch with my daughter is something I have always maintained since she was 3. I used to pick her up from her preschool and once a week I would do a mother daughter lunch at a bakery cafeteria..be it. Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan or Ohio. Of all the bakeries, Panera’s stuck with us because of its nation wide chain bakeries and cafeterias. Now my oldest is 9 and the youngest is turning 3 next Sunday and have resumed the same ritual with my younger one now….oh she loves it :).

This salad is super simple and super healthy and super easy to put together :). It has spinach, walnuts, cranberries, apples and strawberries with some feta cheese, which can be left out if not desired. It is a crowd please as well. Next time, for your party, put a bowl of this salad and the amazing colors and texture of this salad will make the guests happy, I promise.

Ingredients :
Serves : 4-6

Baby Spinach : 3-4 handful, fresh and washed
Strawberries : 6-8 sliced
Apple, slightly tart : 1/2 sliced thin
Cranberries : 1 tbsp dried
Walnuts : 2 tbsp unsalted
Feta cheese : 2 tbsp

Dressing
Olive oil : 2 tbsp
Honey : 2 tbsp
Balsamic vinegar : 2 tbsp
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method :

No rocket science here. Just put everything together in a bowl.

Prepare the dressing by putting the dressing ingredients in a tight lid jar or box. Close the lid and shake vigorously to blend all the oils and vinegar.

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently with tongs. Chill for sometime and serve.

Note : I generally go for less dressing in my salad, if you like, make more quantity of the dressing and use accordingly.

Linking this post to Veg in my box – Spinach event hosted by Citrus spice UK and Chef Mireille’s east west realm !