Strawberry Spa Salad with Almond Vinaigrette

In spite of all the goodies you see me post here, I do try to eat healthy on a regular basis. You wouldn’t know it by some of the recipes I share, but honestly working out and making better choices allows me to indulge without as much guilt.

I received a copy of A Century of Flavors which uses vanilla and other extracts to enhance the recipes. The recipes begin with side dishes, then dinner followed by baked goods. I’ve got several pages marked to try for later in the year because I am really intrigued by the addition of vanilla to some of the soups and can’t wait to see how that improves the overall taste. This is a beautiful cookbook with gorgeous, mouth-watering photos throughout. I found it hard to decide what to make first.

Since summer and warmer weather is here I decided to go with the Spa Salad with Almond Vinaigrette. This simple salad is taken to the next level of greatness by the Almond Vinaigrette. The ingredients include both vanilla extract and almond extract. The two marry together nicely with the Dijon mustard and the maple syrup. It is not overly sweet, but rather well-balanced. I found the flavor to be more interesting than any other vinaigrette I’ve made at home, and would serve this to guests without a second thought.

From Family, Friends and Food

This is such a simple salad with simple ingredients that I can’t imagine not making it throughout the summer months. It would be a wonderful addition to a dinner of grilled chicken. The vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for several days so, you can enjoy it beyond the initial lunch or dinner. I’m thinking I might even add a light brushing of it to a turkey sandwich for lunch.

Spa salad with Almond Vinaigrette
Source: The Century of Flavor

Ingredients
10 ounces baby spinach leaves torn into bite-size pieces
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced
½ cup sliced almonds

Directions
Toss the spinach, onion, 1 cup of strawberries and ½ cup almonds gently in a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with additional strawberries and almonds.
Serves 2

Almond Vinaigrette

Ingredients
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup natural rice vinegar

Directions

Whisk the Dijon mustard, syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt and pepper in a bowl . Add the canola oil in a fine stream, whisking constantly until incorporated. This will emulsify your salad dressing and it will not separate. Add the vinegar slowly, whisking constantly.
Makes ¾ cup.