strawberrySPINACH

strawberrySPINACH salad.

....or on the other hand, maybe it should be called spinachSTRAWBERRY salad?

hmmm?

well, whatever you want to call it one thing remains the same...it is GOOD! :)

this was my contribution to our family's easter dinner.  & it was a hit!  (and i promise that it was not just rob & i at the dinner!)  i swear! :)

i typically get designated with the salad duty at our family gatherings.  i am not sure if it is because the host or hostess thinks that i make the most amazing super fantastic salads on the planet, or if it just gives them comfort knowing that i will have something to eat for dinner!  lol!  & probably the latter!  but in all honesty, when i am out to dinner, or when i am a guest for dinner, or whatever...i really do go with the flow.:)  i practice flexibility & moderation & all of the other things that keep me from becoming too rigid &/or obsessed with my eating habits.  been there, done that & it does not work for me.  i would say that 90% of the time i try to eat mostly veggies, a lot of raw, organic, no gluten, very little dairy & so on...  however, 10% of the time i eat whatever i want, or whatever life calls for.  i have found that this works the best for me, but to each there own...always!

now, how about that salad?!?!

the main ingredient is SPINACH, maybe one of the most awesome nutrient rich foods ever!  it is packed full of phytonutrients, which when eaten may help to keep your body functioning properly & assist in preventing disease.  the two main phytonutrients in spinach are flavonoids & carotenoids...which act as anti-inflammatory & antioxidant agents in your body.

it also is loaded with lots of vitamin K, great for maintaing bone health & it's even a plant based source of omega 3 fatty acids.

know wonder it is considered a superfood, as all of the nutrients work together to prevent disease & promote health!

now when contemplating what type of salad i was going to make for the dinner i knew that i wanted to make something colorful & spring like.  but also, healthy & good...something that might even appeal to the non-veggie eaters.  

considering all of the color in this one, and with a few of the flavors i selected...i may have just flown right passed "spring inspired" & went straight to SUMMER!  oops;)

 as i currently imagine making this one for a backyard barbecue this summer; using fresh cucumbers & tomatoes from our garden!  i see flip flops too!(on my feet of course!)

so spring or summer, this one is bright, cheery, delicious & packed with things that are good for your body!

ingredients.

spinach 

quinoa

strawberries

cucumbers

avocado

white onion

shaved almonds 

balsamic vinaigrette

i did not include amounts with the ingredients above, as this salad could be prepared for 1person or 10+....depending on the occasion.  you could also vary the amounts of certain ingredients based on your personal taste.  i will say that i made this salad for 8 people & it was a perfect amount using the following quantities...

spinach:  i used one of those large pre-packeged containers by earthbound organic farms

quinoa:  1/2 cup, prepared as directions indicated. 

strawberries:  about 6-10, quartered. 

cucumber:  1 medium, diced with skin removed 

avocado:  1, sliced

white onion:  1/4-1/2 of a medium one

shaved almonds:  1/2-3/4 cup

balsamic vinaigrette:  every body dressed there own salad.  however, it would be nice tossed in too.  also, i did not make my own balsamic this time.  i used annie's organics, which has a nice rich flavor.

& for the non-vegans in the group, i brought along a little feta cheese to top it all off!  

enjoy!  e.