This recipe is the result of a search for salads that didn’t require tomatoes. Because we live in the inner city and our grocery store is not necessarily of great quality (nor do we own a car to go somewhere and buy tomatoes locally), we have decided to forego tomatoes on our food right now! However, my kids don’t like cucumbers, and a salad with just lettuce and dressing is a little boring. Consequently, I turned to my greener friend–spinach.
There is nothing more appealing than a spinach salad speckled with brightly colored in season fruit. There’s something about the texture and taste of spinach that seems to beg for fruit. Maybe it’s just me, but my favorite spinach salads are always those that include strawberries or other berries.
This unique twist not only has delicious raspberries, but also watermelons, grapes and almonds to boot, not to mention the watermelon.
You will need for the Poppy Seed Vinaigrette:
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon of ground mustard
¼ teaspoon of onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
You will need for the salad:
1 package of fresh baby spinach
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 cup halved green grapes
1 cup fresh raspberries
¼ cup sliced almonds
Directions
In a blender, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard, onion powder and salt. Cover and process until sugar is dissolved. One the sugar is dissolved, continue processing while pouring in the oil. (Note: Add the oil slowly and steadily for best results.) Add onion and poppy seeds; process until blended.
In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, watermelon, grapes and raspberries and sprinkle with almonds. Pour over vinaigrette and enjoy.
For a complete meal, I like to add grilled chicken on the side along with some breadsticks. For easy bread twists, use crescent rolls and twist them instead of rolling them up. Brush with a little butter and onion powder before baking.
You Might Also Want to Try:
Tarragon Chicken and Spinach Salads
Two Different Kinds of Salad Recipes