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    Home » Recipes » the daniel plan

    Leafy Green and Berry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

    Published: Aug 14, 2017 · Modified: Jul 6, 2022 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    277 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Instead of just a berry salad, make it a leafy green and berry salad. Cool crisp greens, sweet berries, crunchy pecans, plus a little goat cheese and Parmesan. Dress it with spoonfuls of homemade strawberry Balsamic vinaigrette. The best of a leafy green salad and a berry salad, combined. Make one before summer slips away.

    summer berry salad with greens.
    Green salad with berries, nuts and cheese.

    Leafy Green and Berry Salad

    We don't eat out often, but occasionally it's good to get out of the house, relax and leave the cooking to someone else. A local steakhouse serves up great food and dinner always starts with their house salad. It's the inspiration for this recipe. I love this salad, so now I make it at home.

    Ripe red strawberries on the counter.
    Ripe red strawberries on the counter.

    Beautiful Berries

    What's not to love about fresh summer berries at their peak? Sweet, low in natural sugar, healthy, and packed with nutrition. Make this salad while berries are at their best and at the best prices. Another fruity add in is kiwi. Just a little sweet-tart taste to add some interest.

    Summer berry salad on the table.
    Summer berry salad on the table.

    Wash and Go Greens

    Red leaf lettuce works great for this salad. The leaves are sturdy enough to handle the creamy vinaigrette, and darker leaves means more nutrition. Buy whole heads and wash them when you get home, ready for the week ahead. Pre-washed salads greens like spring mix or mesclun mix work if you're in a hurry but be sure to check the package for wilted or slimy leaves.

    On Cheese And Nuts

    The tang of goat cheese and the saltiness of grated Parmesan add a lot to the salad. If you are dairy-free, skip it but try adding a little dairy-free cheese sprinkle to make up for the cheese. Find the recipe at this link here.

    For the pecans, use either raw whole or glazed. Homemade glazed are easy to make and keep in the pantry for adding to salads or crumbling over veggies. Find my recipe for maple glazed pecans here.

    Strawberry salad dressing in a blender.
    Strawberry salad dressing in a blender.

    Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

    Oh yeah and oh yum. This dressing is so good, creamy, tasty, and lasts days in the fridge. You will have extra for more salads!

    Green and berry salad being dressed.
    Salad being dressed with creamy vinaigrette.

    Tribest Personal Glass Blender

    What to whip the vinaigrette up in? The TribestLife Glass Personal Blender. My sweet friend, famous raw vegan chef, Jenny Ross, gifted me with one of these cool little blenders. Perfect for whipping up small quantity things like vinaigrettes.

    A container of the blended strawberry dressing.
    A container of the blended strawberry dressing.

    Looking for another terrific salad? Try my Pomegranate Spinach Salad.

    📖 Recipe

    Summer berry salad | AFoodCentriclLife.com

    Leafy Green and Berry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

    Sally Cameron
    A heavenly summer salad of cool crisp greens, sweet berries, crunchy pecans, and  a little goat cheese and Parmesan drizzled with a strawberry Balsamic vinaigrette. Inspired by the house salad at a local restaurant we enjoy! 
    3 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 454 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette (makes extra)

    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
    • 4 whole strawberries quartered
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
    • 2 pinches sea salt
    • 2 pinches ground black pepper
    • 1-2 teaspoons water if needed to thin vinaigrette

    Leafy Green and Berry Salad

    • 1 large head red lettuce
    • 12-16 fresh strawberries
    • 1 small container fresh raspberries
    • 1 kiwi optional
    • 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
    • 3 ounces whole pecans glazed or raw
    • 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Start by making the vinaigrette. Place all ingredient in a blender and blend until smooth. Add water if needed to thin to desired consistency. The recipe makes extra dressing. 
    • Wash salad greens and dry in a salad spinner or on layers of paper towels. Wash strawberries and dry, then quarter. Wash raspberries if you choose. Sometimes I don't as they are so fragile. Peel the kiwi with a vegetable peeler, then chop into small pieces. Crumble goat cheese
    • To assemble salad, divide greens, berries, kiwi and goat cheese between four plates. Add pecans. Drizzle each salad with 1-2 tablespoons of vinaigrette and sprinkle with Parmesan. 

    Notes

    To save time: purchase a container of already cleaned salad greens such as mesclun mix or spring mix. The vinaigrette makes extra dressing. It will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days. 
    Nutrition note - the entire batch of dressing is in the calculation but you don't use it all. It makes extra, so the calorie count and numbers are not accurate. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 454kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 9gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 371mgPotassium: 479mgFiber: 10gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 414IUVitamin C: 144mgCalcium: 136mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gail says

      March 26, 2022 at 2:19 am

      For the glazed pecans, could you use another spice other than pumpkin pie spice? Planning to serve this salad at our Easter Brunch. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        March 26, 2022 at 1:08 pm

        Hi Gail, you can omit the spices. They are still tasty! That is the easiest way.

        Reply
    2. Carol says

      August 16, 2017 at 10:06 am

      Sounds wonderful and something we would like; will try it very soon! Thanks. We use many of your recipes and thank you for working on healthy foods.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        August 16, 2017 at 11:24 am

        Thanks you Carol! Love to hear that! Eat well!

        Reply

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    Welcome! I'm Sally, a classically trained chef (but you don't have to be!). My passion is cooking fresh healthy food and sharing it with others.

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