Strawberry Summer Salad
Summer is the time to celebrate locally grown produce. Strawberries take on a whole new personality when they are grown close by. The berries, with their deep red flesh burst in your mouth with flavor. Evoking picnics by the lake, bare feet and sweet fragrant breezes, local strawberries are truly a summer indulgence.
As we move into August, salads can become the focal point of the meal. Heavier foods are no longer appealing as the long, warm days ask us for a refreshing meal. Strawberries are a wonderful addition to greens. Combined with a raw strawberry vinaigrette and almond brittle for an extra textural crunch, this salad will easily take center stage. This recipe will require advanced prep time for the almond brittle.
Strawberry Summer Salad
SERVES 4
Strawberry Vinaigrette
- 8 medium strawberries
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup agave (or other liquid sweetener of choice)
- 2 lemons, juice from
- Place all ingredients in Vitamix an blend until smooth and emulsified. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Almond Brittle
- 1 cup almonds, soaked for at least 6 hours
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger
- pinch of cayenne
- 2 – 3 tablespoons maple syrup*
- Drain almonds and pat dry.
- Place all ingredients in food processor. Process until well ground but some larger chunks still exist. If you need more moisture to hold together, add the extra maple syrup.
- Flatten out on a teflex sheet.
- Dehydrate for 8 hours or until brittle is very dry.
- Carefully break into pieces.
Salad
- 4 cups greens (of choice)
- strawberry vinaigrette
- 16 strawberries – halved
Assembly
- Place greens in center of plate.
- Surround with sliced strawberries.
- Drizzle vinaigrette on salad, top with crumbled almond brittle.
*Maple Syrup is not considered to be raw but is used by many raw chefs for textural reasons.
Lorraine wrote on January 15, 2013
Mmmm! I am making this tonight! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Blanka wrote on September 27, 2011
Oh yum, just made the dressing for some greens with cucumbers and strawberries to enjoy for lunch on thei Indian summer day and it is divine!!! Thank you!
Michelle wrote on May 7, 2010
Am I correct to assume that the ginger in the brittle recipe is ginger powder, rather than fresh ginger?
Crystal wrote on March 15, 2010
I don’t have a dehydrator….How can I make the brittle using an oven?
Eco Mama wrote on July 27, 2009
Looks Great!
Gayle Fox wrote on July 26, 2009
This looks amazing,great job! I’m putting together my grocery list…do you have a recipe for the strawberry vinegarette to share?
My tummy is growling for this already! LOL
Thanks so much,
Gayle Fox
Susan wrote on July 26, 2009
Top of the recipe!!! Hope you enjoy it!