Would you believe me if I said I ate this salad for lunch? What about every day for a week? I probably wouldn’t believe me, either.
I like salads, but I can’t go as far as to say that I love them. I think that’s because I tire of salad dressings very quickly. Plus, salads generally lack luster and leave my taste buds, and stomach on the prowl.
Then came along this salad. I couldn’t resist the photos on Lauren’s blog. After glancing at the short ingredient list, full of in-season summer yield, I decided to give it a shot.
Epic decision.
I rarely insist you try a recipe, but here it is…I insist you try this recipe! Quick, simple, and super duper healthy. And did I mention how colorful it is? Show-stopping, I’d say.
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Red Berry Salad with Granola-Crusted Goat Cheese from Healthy Food for Living
2 oz soft goat cheese
1/4 cup granola (homemade or store-bought)
4 cups mixed salad greens
1/2 cup raspberries
4 medium strawberries, hulled and chopped
1/4 cup Red Berry Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Directions:
Divide the goat cheese into small pieces and roll into balls using your palms.
Lay the granola out on a plate. Roll the goat cheese balls in the granola, pressing so that the granola stick and creates a crust. Set aside.
Place the greens on a plate. Top with granola-crusted goat cheese balls, raspberries, and strawberries.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and serve. Yield: 2 servings.
Nutrition Information (per serving): 156 calories; 32 mg. cholesterol; 242 mg. sodium; 11.2 g. fat; 20.6 g. carbohydrate, 6.1 g. fiber; 8.3 g. protein
Result: Heavenly. If summer were to jump onto a plate, it would create this salad. I’m not sure what more to say other than perfect! To add some protein and fat, I also served this salad with a few pecans, which I highly recommend. Blueberries are a great addition, too! Enjoy!
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Red Berry Vinaigrette from Healthy Food for Living
1 cup fresh raspberries
3 medium strawberries, hulled & quartered
1 Tbsp champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp coarse ground Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Directions:
Place raspberries and strawberries in a mini food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add in the vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup. Process until well combined.
With the motor still running, stream in the oil and blend until emulsified. Season to taste with salt. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Yield: 8 servings (2 tablespoons each).
Nutritional Information (per serving): 51 calories; 3.6 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 25 mg. sodium; 4.8 g.carbohydrates; 1.1 g. fiber; 0.1 g. protein
Result: I’m gunna go as far as to say that if I were only to have one salad dressing for the rest of my life, this would be my choice. It’s so light and fresh…and so good you could drink it as is! I plan to have this on hand in the fridge at ALL times! Don’t delay too long in making this recipe. As Mr. Prevention and I like to say, raspberries are in season for about 4 1/2 days. I do, however, thing frozen berries would work just fine in the vinaigrette.
[/print_this]Now that my Orange-Glazed Blueberry Doughnuts and this salad are gone, I just don’t know what to do with myself. At least it’s (finally!) Friday and I can celebrate with a beer this evening 😉
I am off to the clinic for a bit and then meeting my business partner to meet with a physician and see our new office suite. Things are really starting to come together with the nutrition business…it’s really exciting!
Question: Are you a “salad lover”?
TGIF,
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad :). You’ve convinced me to make it again!
I swoon at salads with goat cheese, this is going on my list to make soon!
Berries and goat cheese… count me in! I love salad especially this time of year when there are so many delicious things are in season. Lately I’ve been putting grated carrots in salad. Growing up we had salad almost every night with dinner. I thought my parents just liked salad but apparently brother and I preferred raw veggies over cooked.
I came here from YumYucky’s website…and immediately became a follower! Your site is gorgeous, and chock-full of great recipes. Looking forward to trying them!
Author
Thank you!! Made my day 🙂
Yes! I love salads 🙂 This looks fabulous. I recently tried goat cheese again (I used to hate it as a child) and I have converted into a goat cheese lover.
Yum! This is definitely my kind of salad! Looks great!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried Gudernoobs made by WooHoo Foods? As a RD you might find them a nutritious snack worthy of sharing! They are only 30 calories each and they have omega-3s!
This salad looks fabulous. I would consider myself a salad lover – I usually have one for lunch and one with my dinner. I go through spurts though – once winter comes the lunchtime salads go away!
I just love goat cheese! This salad looks great!
Although my salad was not as tasty, I did eat it everyday this week! Somewhat similar..berries, spinach, feta, and almonds. Yum!
Have a great Friday Nicole!
wow! I am not a raspberry lover though, so I would need to replace them with blackberries or blueberries…but goat cheese pairs so wonderfully with fruit I know I would adore this with a few changes!
I go in spurts with salads…some days, its all I want, others, I can do without. Never when it’s cold outside…unless I add a warm ingredient like grilled chicken. 🙂
I LOVE salads. A lot. I have since I was a kid, and can even remember the first one I ever tried.
My cousin made a salad very similar to this one summer for a family bbq. It was probably ten years ago and I still remember it, thats how good it was. I’ll definitely be making this, but Im adding red onions, I think they taste so good with strawberries.
Author
Mmm! Red onion…why didn’t I think of that?!
Yum, any salad with fruit and goat cheese is a winner!! 😀
Next time we get together I want to hear all about your business!! I failed to ask you about it the other night, so sorry. I’m interested in hearing how it’s going! BTW, do you think you’ll be able to come to Easton on the 7th??
The goat cheese granola balls look so delicious. I wish Nick would eat goat cheese because we’d have it for dinner EVERY night. I love it.
Oh, and your favorite person won HOH on Thursday. UGH
Author
I know, GR to her!!! What time are you guys meeting on the 7th again? I know I’ll be heading back from Chicago (I usually get in between 6 and 7 if I leave on time) and I have a hockey game at 10:20pm at Dublin. Lemme know!
What a stunning salad this is! That vinaigrette sounds like the perfect finishing touch and I love your picture of it dripping from the bottle!
I’m actually pretty anti-salad as a general rule. but those balls of goat cheese? Heaven.
I’ve never been a fruity salad fan, but I made this dressing and I’m in love!! It’s so good 🙂
Author
I’m so glad you like it! I agree…in love!!
i love this recipe! i always have strawberries and granola in the house and this is so much more creative than just making a yogurt parfait.