This salad recipe I got from my Mom just screams summer with its spinach, fresh strawberries, and orange poppy seed dressing. The dressing is slightly sweet and perfectly complements all the fresh ingredients. Since we were so busy while we were in Utah, I just loved that we could whip this fancy looking salad together in just a few minutes to share with visiting relatives. The flavors have a better chance to combine if you can make it in advance, but it's still good made 5 minutes before you need it.
The ingredients:
SALAD:
1 package baby spinach
1+ cup strawberries, sliced
ORANGE POPPY SEED DRESSING:
1/3 cup orange juice
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. powdered fruit pectin (for lower sugar recipes)
3/4 tsp. poppy seeds
SUGARED NUTS (almonds, pecans, walnuts):
1/2 cup nuts
1/4 cup sugar
Whisk dressing ingredients together. Pour over spinach and strawberries and chill for about 2 hours before serving.
Meanwhile in frying pan, cook nuts and sugar together over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar melts and coats nuts. Remove from heat immediately and let them cool, separated on a plate. (Don't use wax paper, as they will stick to the wax paper).
Just before serving, stir salad together again and sprinkle sugared nuts over the top.
Enjoy!
