This is one of my favorite salads. I have been known to eat it for breakfast or serve it for dessert.

Ingredients:

4 cups of baby Spinach, washed and ready to serve

1 cup of organic strawberries, washed and sliced

1 cup of organic blueberries

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (or feta)

1/2 cup raw pecans or caramelized pecans (recipe below)

Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 Salt

2 tsp Sugar

2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

Caramelized Maple Pecans:

2 tsps coconut oil or ghee

1/2 cup raw pecans

a pinch of salt

2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

There are more complicated ways to make caramelized pecans, but this works. It’s super easy and delicious.

Melt the ghee or oil in a small stainless saute pan. Add the pecans and toast over medium heat. It will take the pecans a few minutes to warm up, but once they are warm, watch them closely. They will go from warm to burnt, as soon as you turn away.  Toast pecans. They should become fragrant. Stir in a pinch of salt. Stir in the maple syrup. Let syrup simmer for 30  seconds. Remove pan from heat and transfer nuts to a parchment lined plate to cool.  Hide them from your family or they will be gone before you  serve the salad.

Instructions for Salad:

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. In a separate, large serving bowl, add the spinach toss with a a tablespoons of dressing until all the leaves are coated. Top the spinach with the  sliced strawberries, blueberries, cheese and pecans. Enjoy!

Tip: In Texas, strawberries are not always sweet, even when they are in season. To sweeten, place the sliced strawberries in a small bowl. Add 1 or 2 tsp of white sugar. Stir and let them sit for about 10 minutes. The sugar will dissolve and now you have deliciously sweet, fresh strawberries.

I had never thought to sweeten fresh fruit until I saw a friend’s Mom do it. BTW, she made the best fruit salad ever! I have used this technique with citrus, melons, mangoes and other juicy fruits.  I would rather serve slightly sweetened fresh organic fruit for dessert than highly processed desserts with tons of artificial ingredients, preservatives and added sugar.