Call me crazy, but one of my favorite things to eat at family parties is the salad. Not exactly sure how both my boyfriend and I got so lucky, but both of our families make the most delicious salads I’ve ever had!It doesn’t matter what time of year it is when it comes to which type of salad i’d like to eat. I’ll eat a summery salad mid winter if it’s right in front of me in a bowl. That being said, I’ve put together a Strawberry Pear Spinach Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette recipe!
You can make the dressing as you please. Want more lemon flavor, add more juice from a lemon. Want a little kick, add more garlic and a little pepper. This recipe can be made with different fruit ingredients and cheeses.
A light, yet filling, spinach salad with red onions, blueberries, pistachios, feta, pear, homemade croutons - all topped with a honey lemon vinaigrette.
- 10 cups Spinach
- 1 small Red Onion sliced
- 3/4 cup Pistachios
- 2 Bartlett Pears sliced thin
- 1/2 cup Blueberries or strawberries
- 3/4 cup Feta or cheese of your choice
- 1 Whole Grain Loaf
- 3 Tbsp Butter melted
- 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Dash Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- Juice 1/2 Lemon
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Feta Cheese
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Place all ingredients in a food processes and pulse until smooth.
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Rip apart the bread into crouton shapes (make sure these pieces aren't too large).
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Mix the butter, vanilla extract, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
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Pour the mixture over the croutons and mix until evenly coated.
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Bake in the oven until golden (about 25 minutes).
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Place the spinach in a large salad bowl.
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Top with onion, pear, craisens/strawberries, pecans, and cheese.
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Cover and place in fridge to chill.
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Remove from fridge, add croutons and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss until the spinach and ingredients are evenly coated. Serve immediately (to avoid wilted spinach).