I have the easiest salad in the world and every time I make it I am asked for the recipe.
Viv’s Spinach and Strawberry Salad
**Bagged spinach leaves
**Trader Joe’s “Pear Champagne Vinaigrette with Gorgonzola” dressing. If you have a TJ’s near you, this is in the refrigerated/produce section. (If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, I don’t know what to tell you about this dressing… I would drink it straight from the bottle. You can substitute Girard’s Champagne Vinaigrette, or a not-too-sweet poppy seed dressing…but it’s really not the same. sorry)
**Sliced strawberries (at least 2 cups.)
**3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese. (Chevre, not feta. This will come in a “log” of cheese. Cut off the end of the wrapper and use a fork to “flake” the chevre directly onto the salad.)
**1/2 cup roasted, chopped hazelnuts.*
Toss spinach leaves with dressing (however much you like).
Add sliced strawberries over the top of the dressed spinach.
Crumble the chevre over that.
Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over the top of the whole she-bang.
It gets “tossed” when you serve it.
*To roast hazelnuts, put a layer on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at about 325 degrees. Check them every 5 minutes or so and give the cookie sheet a shake. They’re done when they start to turn a golden brown and you can smell them. Let them cool. If they still have the brown, papery little skins on them, just rub a few in between your palms and the little brown husks come right off.
That’s it. Five ingredients, tons of compliments. The hardest part is getting the dressing.
Enjoy.
OK…if it has rosted nuts in it…I am sooo in!
Man…this sounds like something my husband would ADORE!!!
Poor guy never gets stuff like this, cause we are too picky of eaters here, but it is right up his alley!
Oh Vivie! Can I call you Vivie? I was about to start getting some recipes together to make on my Family Vacation from Hell this summer and one of the places that I will be visiting in Milwaukee is TRADER JOE.
I will be making this for my fat family! (and stocking up on dressing) I’m soooo excited! OHhhh! We are also going to a real live farm to pick fresh Strawberries! How perfect is that?
Oh that sounds gooooo good. BUT… we don’t have a Trader Joe’s near us; thanks a whole heck of a lot, Vivienne. lol. I love that you would drink it straight from the bottle. There are a lot of things I’d like to drink straight from the bottle… but salad dressing is not one of them.
P.S. – I don’t want to call you vivie, k?
that does sound yummy. used to live by a trader joes, then we moved and no trader joes. so i know what i am missing out on……
*drool*
No Trader Joes here, either. Psh.
Adding you now!
Mmm…nuts. Love em.
Macey
Yeah, no Trader Joes in Oklahoma either! The salad sounds delish! Panera Bread Co. always has a strawberry and spinach salad during the summer. I’ve been on a huge salad kick lately.