Made with simple wholesome ingredients, this delicious Strawberry Spinach Salad is low carb, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, nutritious and loaded with flavor!
I don't know about you, but I am all about salads these days. I love to eat them all year long, the problem is I tend to get bored really easily.
Another problem for me is that you always have to have a variety of fresh veggies available. Don't get me wrong, I always some vegetables in my house, but my kids eat so much that it's hard to keep up.
I already go to the store several times a week as it is and this is why I need to have my salads planned and organized. I am not saying they need to be elaborate and fancy, you only need simple, healthy ingredients to make the perfect salad.
Just like this beauty.
The one thing I always have in my house is spinach. My kids and I use spinach in salads, smoothies, quiches..you name it.
That is why I knew I had to use spinach as the base of this gorgeous salad. It doesn't have a strong taste, gives a slight crunch and is loaded with vitamins and nutrients.
I just love its bright green color too which allows it to create a beautiful salad.
A beautiful, vibrant, delicious salad made with all real, wholesome ingredients.
If you are looking for some more healthy salad inspiration, this this Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad, Greek Artichoke Cauliflower Rice Salad and this Arugula Beet Salad with Candied Pecans and Gorgonzola Cheese.
Why You Should Make This Strawberry Spinach Salad
What I love the most about the dressing is that it's light and creamy, without any cream in it at all.
This strawberry spinach salad is completely customizable and serves as the perfect base for all of your salads. You really can not go wrong with strawberry and spinach.
Although you may want to substitute another nut for the sliced almonds in here because you have an allergy or you don't have any in the house, I don't recommend cutting them out entirely. The nuts add wonderful crunch in this salad.
This dressing is so clean and light. I also wanted to keep it completely plant based but something different than my typical lemon and olive oil (which I will always love!)
Many of us are looking to clean up their diets after the holidays which is exactly what inspired me to create this recipe. Remember to create small, realistic, short-term goals instead of unrealistic lofty resolutions.
Recipe Ingredients
- Baby spinach - I use organic baby spinach to make sure there are no added pesticides. This is easy to find in all grocery stores.
- Strawberries - I always use organic strawberries since they are known to have the most pesticide levels for fruits.
- Avocado - My absolute favorite fruit ever. Choose a slightly firm, but not too firm avocado.
- Red onion - These add so much flavor and crunch to a salad!
- Sliced almonds - I buy the raw, unsalted sliced almonds which also add a wonderful crunchy texture to this salad. I use these sliced almonds all the time.
- Sunflower seeds, preferably soaked in water and salt for at leats 3 hours, if not overnight
- Lemon - Citrus is always a good idea in salads. It's light and refreshing and brings so much flavor.
- Olive oil - My absolute favorite is extra virgin olive oil and I use it in most of my recipes.
Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips
I highly recommend soaking the sunflower seeds in water and a little salt for at least 3 hours, if not overnight. I know what you’re thinking, why bother with another step?
Soaking seeds (and nuts) before eating them helps with digestion by removing the phytic acid which can upset the lining of your stomach and prevent proper digestion of nuts and seeds (and therefore not being able to absorb all of the crucial nutrients).
You don’t have to soak them, it’s completely optional, but feel free to read this article and learn more about the benefits. When I soak my seeds I like to soak them overnight, but soaking for several hours will also work.
I also explain about soaking seeds in my post where I show you how to make Sunflower Seed Butter. My family loves Sunflower Seed Butter so much and it's allergy friendly and perfect to bring to parties and gatherings.
Place the prepared dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The way to maintaining its proper freshness is to make sure the container is completely sealed.
You can go ahead and add chopped eggs grilled chicken, shrimp or even steak to this salad if you'd like increase the protein. Better yet, go ahead and add some feta cheese if you can tolerate dairy.
You can also add some chickpeas or small white beans if you'd like to keep this salad vegan.
Related Recipes
Grilled Baby Choky Salad with Honey Miso Dressing from Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Easy Greek Salad from Love and Lemons
Chopped Mexican Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing from Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad from Downshiftology
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Ingredients
- 3 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
- 1 avocado, chopped
- ¼ red onion
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Dressing:
- 1 cup sunflower seeds, preferably soaked in water and salt for at leats 3 hours, if not overnight
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 ¾ cup water
- 4 tabelspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until a smooth sauce.
- Chop strawberries in bite-size pieces and the onion in thin slices. To reduce the intensity of raw red onion, soak the slices in cool or warm water for 10 minutes before using.
- Place all the ingredients in a serving bowl. Drizzle the top with sunflower seed dressing. Top with fresh cracked pepper and sprinkle of salt.
Taylor
This is my new favorite salad! The avocado and strawberries taste SO good together and I love the crunch from the almonds and onions!
Lauren Kelly
Thanks Taylor!
Ashley
This was such a great way to kick off the year after the holidays! Light, delicious and refreshing.
Lauren Kelly
Exactly! Thank you Ashley!
Toni
This is so good! Easy, healthy and delicious!!
Laura Reese
This salad is delicious. The combination of flavors and dressing are sooo good. Thanks.
Katie
This is our family's favorite side dish!
wilhelmina
This is an excellent salad! The mix of flavors and the light dressing are just perfect!
lauren.kelly
Thank you!
Christie
This salad looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it, but curious about the dressing proportions. Is it really 1 3/4 cups of water? Seems like a lot.
lauren.kelly
Hi Christie! Yes 1 3/4 cup is correct. Th dressing is light. You can always add less water to have a creamier dressing. Thanks!