A Salad for the Season

Even though it is technically summer, it is a very pleasant, cool a day. My favorite kind of day too. But I still made a cool, refreshing salad for my women’s group meeting. I made a summer salad that was just perfect for the season.

This colorful salad was loaded with all kinds of fresh, seasonal goodness, like blackberries, raspberries, red onions, green beans, baby spinach, goat cheese, bacon and toasted almonds. This salad is both colorful and nutritious. It was a big hit with all my guests too. As with all of my recipes, use what you like and forget the rest.

Summer Spinach and Fruit Salad

The Salad

1 lb fresh baby spinach, stems removed

1 basket of raspberries

1 basket of blackberries

4-5 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled – I used pepper bacon

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup cooked green beans, cut into pieces about 1 inch in size

3/4 cup toasted almond slivers – I cooked mine in the bacon grease

4 oz, crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

You can toss this salad all together or your can neatly arrange it all on a platter. I do both, it just depends on whether or not I am striving for a nice presentation or if I am just eating it on my own and the presentation is not necessary. I added the dressing right before serving it so the salad would not get soggy.

The Dressing

2 TBSP toasted sesame seeds

1 TBSP poppy seeds

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp dried minced onions

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients together and mix well. When you are ready to serve the salad, add the dressing and serve immediately.

This is a perfect summer salad that you can whip up in no time at all. It is full of color and is bursting with fresh good summer flavors. This will be a perfect crowd pleaser any time you serve it.

Stay well, stay safe and stay cool. ‘Til next time.