The nice weather has inspired me to use more fruits in my meals so I’m constantly looking for ideas. You may have noticed how much I love strawberries so I made a salad this weekend that incorporated my favorite fruit. You’ve probably had this salad before (or something very similar) and it’s really easy to make. The mix of flavors and textures is so satisfying and delicious. All I did was buy the Spring mix, a container of organic strawberries, goat cheese and shelled walnuts. I candied the walnuts, to add a bit of extra sweetness to the salad, but of course you can leave out that part if you aren’t partial to it. There are different methods you can use to candy nuts. I mixed egg with brown sugar and sea salt. I don’t recommend it. They won’t turn out the way you’ve probably had them in the past, unless you add a LOT of sugar to the mixture. It is probably better to heat some sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar turns an amber color and add toasted walnuts (heated in a 350° oven for about 5 minutes), then spread out on parchment paper or a non-stick surface to dry.

Once you’ve done that, simply toss together the greens, strawberries and walnuts with some balsamic vinegar and oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with goat cheese. And you’re done!

~Christina