Fruity Spinach Salad

This is one of my favorite fun salads to make. Reason being, it is so colorful, appetizing, and so versatile. You can vary the ingredients based on what you have in your pantry and fridge. You can dress it up with any dressing and give it some crunch with nuts like slice almonds, candied walnuts or pecans, sunflower seeds or any salad toppings.

I found this Raspberry Hazel nut dressing in the grocery store and suddenly I had craving for this salad.

Here is how I made it today:


Ingredients:

* 1 bag of washed spinach (~ 6 - 8 cups)

* 2 Roma tomatoes chopped or sliced

* 6 mushrooms sliced

* 1 sweet red pepper sliced chunks

* 1 red onion thinly sliced

* 1/2 English cucumber peeled and sliced

* 1 pint of fresh strawberries sliced or whole if small in size

* 1 (11 oz) can of Mandarin oranges

* 1 can of beets drained and sliced

* 1 can of Garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained

* 1/2 cup of sliced almonds (you can use sun flower seeds, or candied pecans or walnuts)

* Handful of sweetened dried cranberries to taste

* 1/2 cup of santa fe tortilla strips. (you can use any topping or croutons)

* Raspberry Hazel nut vinaigrette dressing. (you can use sweet poppy seeds dressing or any of your favorite vinaigrette dressing)



Method:

* Drain mandarins, beets, garbanzo beans.

* Slice strawberries to desired bite size.

* Slice and cut the veggies to your liking.

* Toss everything with spinach.

* Top with almonds dried cranberries, tortilla strips.

* Serve with your favorite dressing. (I prefer raspberry based, or sweet poppy seeds dressing with this salad)


Enjoy:)

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.