Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love Valentine's Day for its focus on romance, roses, chocolates and strawberries.   This year what I am including on the menu is this strawberry spinach salad.  

Fresh spinach normally has such a strong taste that I use a lot of dressing to mask the taste.  I don't know about you but I don't like greens that are bitter.  (Which is why I can't do arugula no matter how good it looks!)  This dressing is light and gently enhances the salad. 

You really don't need the entire amount. Use just enough to lightly coat the salad (I mix it by hand about 10 - 15 minutes before serving).  I keep the rest of the dressing on the side just in case anyone would like more.  It's important to note that if you make the salad too far in advance (even just an hour), the spinach will begin to wilt and the almonds will start to lose its crunch. 

 Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (or poppy seeds) 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar 1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon minced onion 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1.	In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2.	In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Adapted From: Allrecipes.com