Spinach Strawberry Salad

4.84 from 6 votes

Strawberries, spinach, and quinoa...Oh My! Try this beautiful Spinach Strawberry Salad Recipe with a mixture of spinach, fruits, and quinoa, with a light oil-free poppy seed dressing or a tangy strawberry balsamic dressing.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 538kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

Ingredients

Salad:

16 ounces Organic Spinach washed (8 cups)
1 cup pickled red onions or raw purple onions
4 cups Organic Strawberries stem removed and sliced thin
1 English cucumber cut into coins
1 cup chopped Walnuts (optional)
2 cups cooked red quinoa or quinoa of choice

Oil-Free Poppyseed Dressing:

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
3 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds
¼ cup Unsweetened Unflavored Plant Milk
3 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
2 teaspoons Fresh Ground Pepper
1 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt

Oil-free Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

1 cup fresh organic strawberries
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons water

Instructions

Oil-Free Poppyseed Dressing:

Add all ingredients except for the poppy seeds to a small blender. I used my single-cup Nutri-bullet blender.
The flour is used to thicken the dressing, so you don't need to add any vegan mayo or other high-calorie thickeners.
Add the poppy seeds and shake.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

Combine ingredients in a single-cup blender.
Blend on high until smooth.
Place dressing in the refrigerator until ready to dress the salad.

Prepare Spinach:

Wash and remove the long stems from the spinach leaves.
You can buy it already washed and prepared in the organic section of your supermarket.
Fill each bowl with at least half spinach or a choice of greens, creating a well in the middle.
Prepare the other vegetables and fruits; wash and slice onions, cucumbers, and strawberries.
If using pickled onions, make sure you drain and dry on a paper towel before adding the strawberry spinach salad.
Add Ingredients to a salad bowl; surround the bowl with spinach, creating a well in the middle
Add cooked and cooled quinoa into the middle of the bowl.
Evenly distribute the rest of the ingredients on the four bowls, making sure to scatter the ingredients to divide the cut vegetables and fruits equally.
Add the nuts last (optional) (wait to put nuts on until it is time to serve if making ahead of time). You don't want soggy nuts.

Notes

Do not dress the salad in advance. Spinach is a delicate green that will get soggy if dressed in advance.

Ensure the quinoa is cooled completely before adding it to the salad so the hot quinoa does not wilt the spinach.

Create a well in the center of the bowl to add the cooled quinoa to keep the greens fresh.

When adding pickled onions to the salad, place them on paper towels to remove any excess liquid so as not to bog down the salad or make it soggy.

Nutrition