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| Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Pine Nuts, Mushrooms and Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette |
My husband has an addiction to pine nuts. Whenever he cooks, you will find pine nuts in his dish. They are expensive, which is bothersome, so I decided to do a little research to understand why.
Although called a nut, the pine nut is actually a seed from the pinecones of a pine tree. There are about 20 different varieties of pine trees that grow in many parts of the world that produce pine nuts. They are relatively expensive because processing them is labour-intensive. The pinecones are opened to get at the seeds and then the seed’s shell must be removed. This work is often done by hand. Pine nuts have a mild, nutty, buttery taste with a creamy texture. Pine nuts should be kept in your refrigerator and used within three to six months.
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| Spinach Salad with a Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette |
This spinach salad with strawberries recipe is nice to serve with a weekday meal. The toasted pine nuts are a nice touch to add on top.
Spinach Salad With Strawberries, Pine Nuts And Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6
10 cups spinach, washed, stems discarded
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cups lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)
Dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
In a large salad bowl combine the spinach, strawberries, mushrooms, onions and optional pine nuts. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Just before serving, toss salad with dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
Other salads to try:
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| Greek Pasta Salad |
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