Spinach and Strawberry Salad

It's spring, which means strawberry and spinach salads are all over the place.  In my organic produce box for the week, I received perfectly ripe strawberries with fresh kale, spinach, and arugula.  I never tried making a strawberry spinach salad, so this was the perfect time to try.

Originally, I wanted to make a poppyseed dressing, but the store was out of poppy seeds.  Change of plans!  My mom makes homemade salad dressings, and she often adds just a little bit of berry jam to round out the flavor.  A friend and I made jams a few weeks ago, so I decided to experiment with making my own dressing using our strawberry rhubarb jam.  The jam in the dressing added the perfect amount of sweetness to the dressing, and the sweetness was balanced by the vinegars.  The addition of the sesame oil added a nutty flavor to the dressing, which worked well with the sliced almonds in the salad.

You could even added in grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, or other veggies.  This salad is the perfect blend of sweet and savory.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
1 tbsp. strawberry jam
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

For the salad:
4 cups mixed greens
1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup snap peas

Directions:
Place jam in a medium sized mixing bowl, and whisk in vinegars, followed by the oils.  Add the dry mustard, sea salt, and black pepper.

Add the strawberries, mixed greens, almonds, and snap peas to the bowl.  Toss to coat evenly in the dressing, and serve immediately.

Source: A Simply Sweet Justice original