strawberry poppy seed salad

Credit: Kitchn

Hello Monday! 

If you know me, you know I'm a big fan of salads. They make for a great lunch, an easy last minute meal and are a nice way to end a dinner with guests. Poppy seed dressing is a new favourite of mine- with a perfect marriage of sweet and tangy. The dressing works wonderfully with this strawberry-feta-almond salad. I have made it with spinach, but (as this post shows), Romaine lettuce is wonderful too. This recipe is a great one for all seasons, and I have yet to find someone who wasn't a fan. (First things first- apologies for my lack of professional photos. My camera batteries died so I had to go for the iPhone.)

Dressing Ingredients

1/4 cup apple cider vinager 

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

2 teaspoons mayonnaise for creamier dressing

1/2 cup olive oil 

Dressing Instructions 

1. Mix the white wine vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. 

2. Peel the shallot, and either chop it finely, or grate it on a microplane or the smallest holes of a box grater. 

3. Add the poppy seeds, salt, and ground mustard, and mix thoroughly.

4. Whisk the dressing and pour the olive oil into the dressing. 

5. Continue whisking until completely combined.

(Transfer to a container. You can store it in the fridge for several weeks. Mix it when it separates as it sits) 

Salad Ingredients

1 pint strawberries

1/2 cup almonds 

4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled or cut in small cubes

8 ounces of Romaine Lettuce or Baby spinach (5 cups) 

2 to 4 tablespoons poppy seed salad dressing, to taste

Salad Instructions

1. Hull and cut the strawberries into thin slices. 

2. Transfer the spinach/ lettuce to a large mixing bowl. 

3. Drizzle a tablespoon of poppy seed dressing at a time as you toss the greens gently. 

4. Toss half of the sliced strawberries, almonds and Feta cheese with the spinach/ lettuce. 

5. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the rest of the strawberries, almonds and Feta cheese over the top and use the last bit of dressing to the top of the salad. 

****For this post I linked with My Glitter Heart for Hello Monday******