Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Summer means fresh local homegrown awesomeness!!  I love being able to get the freshest in season fruits and veggies from my favorite local farmers stands and markets.  I also love places that let you pick your own produce.  One of these places is Pumpkin Hill Produce Farm in Nescopek, PA.  I love this place!!

This has been a place where for the past two years I have been going to pick my own strawberries!!  There is just something so awesome about being able to pick your own fruit!  I love the freshness and sense of satisfaction from knowing that you worked for what you get.

When you go to Pumpkin Hill Produce Farm to pick strawberries you simply bring your own containers, they weigh them before you start and then off you go!!  You simply pick till your hearts content or until your containers are full and then take them back up to the stand to get weighed again and pay!!

The last time that I was there, I picked about 7 1/2 pounds of beautiful, sweet, plump strawberries!!  I totally would have picked more, but I only had two containers and I was by myself, so it was all I could carry!!  I should also let you know that I was not even there an hour and pick this many berries!!

Keep in mind that I had picked these berries back in June, but life with three kids means that I don't always get to post my blogs when I want to.  I know that I am late with this one, but trust me it is worth it.   Berry picking season is a short on, so if you know when it is in your area take advantage of it when you can. 

Now that I am home with my beautiful berries it's time to get started.  Some of these babies will be made into jam, and yes I will share that on with you.  Some of these will be the bellies of my kids before I can even blink, and some of these will be the star in my favorite summer salad.....Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy seed Dressing. 

This is one of those salads that you can totally eat all year round, but it is just so much better with fresh picked summer strawberries.  It is also a salad that my entire family goes crazy over!


Salad is something that you can eat a part of a course, as a side dish, or if done right as the main meal.  These are the kinds of salads that I love.  One that is so hearty that it serves as the main dish.  This salad can be all three of those tings.  Just another reason to love it. 

As I have said so very many times, when it comes to cooking you are only limited by your imagination.  Remember that!  I am going to share with you a very simple recipe for this salad, but I warn you you that this is only ONE of a variety of ways to make it.  If you can, try and use all fresh, local, homegrown ingredients; but if not......No Worries, it will still taste amazing!!

Here is what you need:
Spinach
Fresh Strawberries
Walnuts
Fetta Cheese
Other Options:
Grilled Chicken
Red/Purple Onion
Blueberries
Pecans
Homemade Croutons (See here on how to make)
Dressing:
1 cup sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 teaspoons poppy seed
2 teaspoons dry chopped onion
Dash paprika
Shake of Worcestershire Sauce

Combine all the salad ingredients together in a bowl adding as much or as little of each as you like.  For the dressing I put all the ingredients in a glass mason jar, seal and shake like crazy.  It does take a bit, but I promise you everything will come together.  Think of it as an arm workout!  😏

Now that your dressing is all mixed, you can use as much or as little as you like.  It will keep for up to a week in the fridge.  I only say this as it NEVER lasts more than about 4-5 days in my house.  If my middle daughter knows we have the makings for this salad in the house she would eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This is perfect for a big crowd as well, just leave the dressing on the side for anyone to add if they choose.  

Okay, now that you know how to make it, answer me this....what is a salad? 

Well that is a super good question.  If you look it up online you get quit a variety of answers, but they all basically read the same. 

A salad is a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish or other ingredients. 

So what does this mean?  Well.....in my opinion.....it means.....eat what you love and love what you eat!!!

A salad can be some many things.  Don't make it all about one thing or what the masses say it should be.  Get crazy, get spicy, heck just get creative.  Life is to short to conform to what everyone thinks.  Be you!!!

Like I've said, this is simply one way to make one of my favorite summer salads.  I hope you enjoy!!

Happy Summer and ENJOY!!