Strawberry Spinach Salad ... Guest Post by Ashlyn of Belle of the Kitchen

Hi everyone! I'm Ashlyn and I blog over at Belle of the Kitchen. I am so very excited to be guest posting here at I Put a Bird On It! Daniela is one of my new bloggy friends and I have really enjoyed getting to know her. I always look forward to all of her fabulous posts and ideas that she shares with all of us! I mean, have you SEEN those adorable DIY Polka Dot Pants of hers?! If not, you should check them out! They are adorbs. ;) Over on my blog, I share recipes for the whole family. Whether you’re looking for something healthy, something sweet, or even just a little comfort food to appeal to a picky eater, I’ve got a recipe for you. I'd love to have you come by and visit me over there!

Today I'm sharing a super delicious recipe for Strawberry & Spinach Salad, with a Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing. This makes a great side dish for almost any meal, and is even great by itself as a main dish if you add a little grilled chicken! The first time I made this, my husband kind of gave me the ole one-eyed stare and asked me what in the world strawberries were doing mixed in his salad. He wasn't so sure about the fruit, but after a few bites, his frown turned around, and now he loves it when we have this for dinner! Which is good, because we have it pretty often. ;)

Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

2 tablespoons sesamee seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/2 cup granulated 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 roasted pecans (optional)

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 pecans. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Adapted from: Allrecipes

I like to top mine with some Cinnamon & Sugar Roasted Pecans! You can find my recipe for that here. They are great on this salad, but are also delicious for snacking all on their own!

So how do you feel about fruit in your salad? Is it a go or is it a no? I love fruit in mine; strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, grapes, avocado... all perfect tossed onto a big pile of leafy greens. And yes, as weird as it may seem, an avocado is technically a fruit! At least it is according to Google. ;) Hope all of you have a wonderful day! You can find Daniela over at Belle of the Kitchen where she is sharing a fabulous DIY Frame Makeover! Be sure to check it out. :)

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Oh my heck, you guys, I just love Ashlyn and all of her recipes. If my kitchen had one cookbook in it - no lie - I'd want it to be one by her! I am dying to try those cinnamon & sugar roasted pecans. Total heaven! Like Ashlyn said, you can check out my guest post on Belle of the Kitchen to see the super easy shadow box frame makeover I made {3 of them to be exact!}. Here's a little sneak peek...

See you all tomorrow for Link'n Blogs. Be there or be there. Those are the only 2 options. ;)

xo

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More recipes to drool over:

Dairy Free Magic Cookie Bars

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Bread