Tuesday’s Table – Spring Salad with Strawberries, Avocado and Feta

Often I need new ideas for good salads. Like salads that make me want to eat salads as meals. My friend Kate has made a salad similar to this several times while I have been around and lucky enough to have it, so I set out to make a version of hers. I loved it so much I made it as a side one night and again for dinner with grilled chicken the next.

Edit 

Spring Salad with Strawberries, Avocado, and Feta with Creamy Balsamic

**This is not a “real” recipe, but a great combination of flavors and textures, so you decide how much you want to make and add.**

Greens – Your choice, I used a combination of spinach and Spring Mix with Herbs (my favorite box salad ever from Kroger and I am sure other groceries too)

Chopped Red Onion

Chopped Strawberries

Chopped Avocado

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Fresh herbs – any that you have. Finely chop them and toss them with your greens. I have started doing this with almost all of my salads, and this adds brightness and flavor for no additional calories. For this salad I added flat leaf parsley and chives. Basil and dill would be great additions as well.

Chopped, Toasted Pecans (any nuts that you have on hand will be great – just toast them for about two minutes on the stove or in your oven, but be careful.  They burn so quickly! 5 minutes is max. When toasting nuts, I do a good bit at a time and then save them for later uses.)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

 

 

“Creamy” Balsamic

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. Dijon mustard

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

For anyone paying attention or wanting to make more or less of this dressing, it is 1 part each of honey, Dijon, and balsamic with 3 parts olive oil. If I’m making a smaller batch of dressing I will do 1 tablespoon to 3 olive oil. But the dressing keeps well, so I usually make a bigger batch and save it for my next salad. I make this dressing often and use it for all sorts of salads. The recipe came from my friend Maggie, years ago and has been my go-to homemade dressing ever since. Bottled dressing is for the birds, and you will see that if you give this a try!

 

Thank goodness for dear friends who cook and inspire!

Enjoy!

Advertisement

Brown Sugar Fruit Dip

Both of us grew up with this fruit dip, our mom used to make it often and it’s always been a crowd pleaser. Not to mention it takes only three ingredients and less minutes to whip up. Excellent with strawberries (pictured) and cantaloupe but could be used to encourage anyone (I’m including myself here) to enjoy all of the spring and summer fruit!





Brown Sugar Fruit Dip

16 oz. Light Sour Cream**

3 Tbs. Dark Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Stir, serve. Really, that’s all. It’s almost embarrassing.

**To cut calories you can use 1 small container of light sour cream with one small container of fat free Greek yogurt, but I do not recommend all yogurt — but really it’s already light sour cream

Enjoy!!