Strawberry Spinach Salad W/Raspberry-Key Lime Vinaigrette

Crafty Lady 13's Note:

Refreshing salad loaded with salad greens, strawberries, blood oranges, and dried cranberries. Lightly sweetened with a chopped pecan/brown sugar mixture and then drizzled with a delightful raspberry-key lime vinegarette dressing. Created for RSC #11. FYI...you can substitute mandarin oranges for the blood oranges and regular limes for the key limes. I have had good results with both substitutions.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Salad

• 1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach
• 1 (10 ounce) bag italian blend salad greens
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups blood oranges, segmented and chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

Dressing

• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed key lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Directions:

1. To make the vinegarette drssing: Put raspberry preserves in a small bowl and cook in microwave at 50% power for 45 seconds or until preserves has liquified. Thoroughly mix all dressing ingredients in bowl with wire whisk. Set aside.
2. Put the spinach, salad greens, strawberries, blood oranges and cranberries in a large bowl and toss until ingredients are well blended. Mix the chopped pecans with the brown sugar. Sprinkle over the salad.
3. Whisk vinegarette again until well mixed. Drizzle the vinegarette over the salad. Use the quantity of vinegarette to your liking. Toss everything together until salad is evenly coated with the vinegarette dressing.

Reviews

[CIndytc]

Loved this salad! The dressing is wonderful. I did use splenda and added a touch of lime infused olive oil....we loved it!

[SPrins]

AMAZING!! This salad is a treat to eat. I used navel oranges as that's what I had, dried cherries, and toasted pecans. It is a VERY sweet salad, and I think next time I'll leave the brown sugar out. I may play with the amount of sugar in the dressing as well simply to make it healthier~~but I could literally drink the dressing it's so yummy!! Thanks SO MUCH for sharing! :O)

[Chef Charlee]

I could eat this every day, it's so good! Loved the dressing and make it often!