Health & Fitness
Strawberry Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Local strawberries star in this salad that's perfect for the Fourth of July.
At 8 am in the morning, I was knee-deep in a strawberry patch, picking ripe berries at a local farm where I have a CSA membership. By noon, I was digging into this salad, savoring the arrival of strawberry season in Wisconsin.
I couldn’t resist a red, white, and blue palette in honor of the Fourth of July so I combined my fresh strawberries with blueberries and goat cheese. I whipped up a sweet and tangy vinaigrette made from maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and tossed it with mixed baby greens. For crunch, I threw in some homemade croutons.
I loved the combination of colors, flavors, and textures in this salad. It’s perfect for a light summertime meal, but would also make a festive side dish for a Fourth of July celebration. Whatever’s on your menu this weekend (and I’d love to hear about it in the comments!), I wish you a safe and happy holiday!
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Strawberry Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
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The recipe makes enough for 2 entrée sized portions or about 4 side salads, though you could easily scale up for a crowd. I make croutons out of stale French bread, tossing cubes of bread with olive oil and salt, then toasting them in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. It’s best to toss the greens with the vinaigrette shortly before serving.
- 3 cups baby spring greens mix
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
- 1 cup quartered fresh strawberries
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons croutons
Toss the greens with the vinaigrette in a medium bowl, using more or less vinaigrette as desired. Scatter the strawberries, blueberries, goat cheese, and croutons over the greens. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition facts per serving: 216 calories, 5 g protein, 14 g fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
I like to make vinaigrette in a jar with lid so I can shake it up. Or you can whisk the ingredients vigorously in a bowl. Be sure to use real maple syrup. This recipe makes about ⅓ cup vinaigrette.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon real maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch salt
Combine ingredients in appropriate container. Cover securely and shake ingredients until combined, or whisk ingredients vigorously in a small bowl. Taste and correct for seasoning, adding more maple syrup and/or salt as desired. Store vinaigrette in the refrigerator.