This weekend we celebrated the 25th birthday of a very special young lady in our lives – our son Nick’s girlfriend, Liz.
For the special picnic we were invited to, I made a batch of my almost famous guacamole, a plateful of homemade chocolate chip cookies, and this YUMMMMMMY Spinach Strawberry Salad with Candied Almonds and Goat Cheese.
Drizzled with an easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette, the crispy fresh spinach, sweet juicy strawberries, crunchy candied almonds, and the creamy goat cheese just SING when tossed together!
Easy – fresh – delicious – beautiful – summery – this is a Five Star Salad you are going to want to try, and your family and friends are going to thank you for making.
Spinach Strawberry Salad with Candied Almonds & Goat Cheese*
- 1 lb fresh baby spinach (approx)
- 1 qt fresh strawberries (chopped)
- 6-8 oz. fresh goat cheese (crumbled)
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tsp brown sugar
- 1 large clove garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
Directions:
Prepare candied almonds by combining sliced almonds and sugar in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently for several minutes until the sugar begins to caramelize. Keep stirring until all the almonds are coated, and then spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Cool completely. Once they are cooled, break them into chunks for little clusters of crunchy sweetness.
Prepare balsamic vinaigrette dressing by whisking together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
When ready to serve, combine spinach and chopped strawberries, candied almonds, and crumbled goat cheese. Toss with balsamic vinegar, and serve immediately.
You could easily substitute your favorite greens for the spinach – perhaps arugala, romaine…. You could substitute the sliced almonds for walnuts or pecans….. You could also substitute blue cheese or feta for the goat cheese.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
*Recipe slightly adapted from Veggie & the Beast
I love spinach salad…this looks like a good version! (K)
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I know – there are so many versions that are wonderful – so much flexibility in how you can mix and match! 🙂
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Yumm! This looks and sounds delicious! You are a great food photographer!
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Thanks PJ! Food is fun to photograph – it doesn’t move – LOL!
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Hahahaha!
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This could not be better, this is a gorgeous salad Jodi 🙂
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Thanks Lynne! It was so yummy too 🙂
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This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it! I have a similar recipe that uses a poppyseed dressing and Gorgonzola cheese.
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Yes – I’ve had it that way too – very yummy! So many good ways to make this! 🙂
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So were you reading my mind last night! Ha! I was thinking at how I wanted to go to our local restaurant again and order their Spinach, Strawberry Salad 🙂 Theirs has avocado in it also and it uses Raspberry Vinagrette Dressing. Now I am extra hungry after seeing yours!
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Lol! Tis the time of year 🙂
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Looks delish! 😍And sounds like a really fun time!
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I’m craving it now… 🙂
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Wow, this looks great I bet bet it tastes great too! Will try that out for sure, thanks for the recipe, Jodi!!! 😊🍓
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ENJOY! 🙂 It is so yummmmmy!
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This is beautiful! I even love the plate lol! I bet this would be yummy. I don’t usually combine fruit with a dish like this but I see it done a lot. Oh, so much to learn! I bet this was delicious!
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I don’t usually either – except for special occasions – LOL! then I so love it and wonder why I don’t more often.
You are too funny even liking the plate. 🙂 thanks Laura!
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(((((Jodi))))) it’s a fantastic plate. You could do the whole book, you wouldn’t need a photographer, designer, nothin!! 💜
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Oh wow, I could eat that salad right now! Thanks for sharing your recipe! The photography is spectacular! Happy day Jodi.
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Thank you Sharon – I’m sure you would enjoy it! 🙂
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What a gorgeous salad Jodi! Happy Birthday to the special girl! xo
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Thanks KR! You are sweet to offer birthday wishes too 🙂
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You must know! I love goat cheese. Literally, one of my most favourite foods. Thank you for the salad recipe. I love that it’s healthy and yummy 🙂
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Oh Mandi – meeee too! Isn’t it so divine?! I love it with fresh cooked beets and pine nuts especially. Have you ever tried that?
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Lol. Unfortunately I don’t like beats at all. But the pine nuts sound good. I like a bit in salad or one of the best burgers I’ve had was a vegetarian one on mushrooms with cooked vegetables in the middle and goat cheese. Yum!
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boo to not liking beets – LOL! and how about I just can’t like mushrooms??!! I know – right? I wish I did. People that love them really love them – kinda like beets! 🙂 Pens are playing! Let’s Go Pens! !!
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Yes forsure! Up 1 last time I checked 🙂
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so far!!!!
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The salad looks delicious. I love those flavors.
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soooo yummy 🙂
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I love these kinds of salads! yumm
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OH wow! My mouth is watering. What a yummy combination for the taste buds.
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Thanks Susan – it was indeedy 🙂
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Unusual, but sounds yummy, and look at how pretty it looks😋
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You’ve never had? You might like to give it a go 🙂 what is your favorite salad Rebecca? maybe it is something unusual to me – LOL! 🙂
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Mmm that’s hard to decide, I really like most, just never had or heard of this in the uk 😀
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Very yummy – and pretty colors! Thanks Jodi, enjoy your day. 🙂
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We had this salad last week too Jodi, except I always use bleu cheese instead. Such a great salad for summer, and happy birthday to Liz!
Jenna
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I ADORE it with Bleu cheese toooooo! Seems people have a love/hate with the blue one though – eh? I , for one, am a LOVER of it! Especially in olives and dates wrapped in bacon, and…. well – everything! LOL!
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So colorful, Jodi! YUMZA! 💕🍓😍 I have candied walnuts for saladsbut not almonds. This looks good! ❤️
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My first time, and they were DELISH! I was going to do walnuts, but had a bunch of almonds, so thought it worth trying! It was a winner! 🙂
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Love those flavor’s paired together
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Nice to hear from you MJ! 🙂 It was delish!
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It’s nice to get back to the blog world.
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Jodi ~ That looks amazing! Love everything about this recipe. Your photos are stunning.
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Thanks a bunch!!
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Super Yummy! One of my favorites! The pics look FABULOUS too 🙂
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Thanks Nicole ☺️
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I cannot say “yum!” enough to do this justice….wonderfully delicious looking, what a loving picnic you put together. Thank you for sharing.
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😉
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Delicious, easy-to-make, and healthy! It doesn’t get much better than that. Thanks for sharing, Jodi!
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My great pleasure Ann!
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What a great and summery salad! Love the addition of almonds, such a great texture in there!
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Thanks! It was so yummy!
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Great food with great photographs.
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Thanks!
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