Strawberry, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad

I love all the fresh fruits and vegetables that start to become seasonal in spring and travel through the summer. We are entering strawberry growing season, and the market I go to is packed to the brim with the juicy, plump treats. Seriously, I love strawberries. They're so versatile: you can stuff them with cream cheese filling or drizzle balsamic over them, put them in pie or use them in a smoothie. I love combining strawberries with some greens and a little crunch-- which is exactly what this salad does.

This salad is a combination of fresh strawberries, nutty and crunchy walnuts, delicate baby spinach, and just a hint of creamy tang from crumbled goat cheese. I buy walnuts when they're in season and freeze them, because the oils in the walnuts have the tendency to make them expire if you don't. Toasting the walnuts adds a depth and complexity to the salad. Plus it's drizzled with a light and refreshing strawberry balsamic dressing, which: YES.

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad

Serves 3                   Serving Size: about 2 and 1/2 cups salad and 2tbl dressing

Ingredients:

• 6c. baby spinach 
• 1c. quartered strawberries
• 2tbl chopped walnuts, toasted (simply cook in a pan, no oil, for about 1 minute on medium-low heat, moving occasionally)
• 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

•  1tbl balsamic vinegar
• 1/2tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium strawberries
• 1tbl honey
• 1tbl warm water

Instructions:

1. To prepare the salad, lay the spinach out on a plate or in a bowl. Evenly distribute the strawberries, walnuts, and goat cheese on the salad.
2. To create the dressing, combine the vinegar, oil, strawberries, honey, and water in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and well-combined. Drizzle over salad and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 84mg
Total Fat: 8g
         Saturated: 2g
         Mono: 3g
         Poly: 3g
         Trans: 0g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 4g
Calories: 121