Fed up with the same old oil-and-vinegar dressing? Or looking for a way to add some early-summer sweetness to your plate? Here’s your chance to make the most of strawberry season: a big pile of fresh fruit and vegetables topped off with a sweet-tangy poppy seed dressing.
Poppy seeds are best known for their starring role in muffins and bagels, but there’s no reason why they couldn’t be used in a Paleo recipe: there’s nothing bad about the seeds themselves.
In fact, once you get out of the pastry shop, they’re a traditional ingredient in all kinds of recipes from India, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe, not just dessert.
They’re also very nutritious: in just 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds, you’re getting a notable amount of fiber, vitamin B1 (thiamin), calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese: not bad for the size!
Like most other nuts and seeds, poppy seeds contain some Omega-6 fats, but since you’re only using 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in the entire dressing for flavor, you aren’t getting enough to make a difference.
To make this salad into a meal, I suggest adding some bacon (it adds a nice salty crunch), but you can just as easily use chicken instead or top it off with any other leftover meat.
It’s a great way to clean out the fridge without feeling like you’re eating leftovers or perk up a downer afternoon without straying into the candy aisle.
Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad Recipe
SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 min
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries, chopped;
- 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled;
- ½ red onion, diced;
- 1 bell pepper, chopped;
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce;
Ingredients for the strawberry dressing
- ⅓ cup strawberries, chopped;
- 1 garlic clove;
- ⅓ cup raw honey; (optional)
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar;
- ½ cup olive oil;
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds;
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Preparation
- In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and pulse until smooth.
- In a salad bowl, toss together the strawberries, bacon, red onion, and bell pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.
Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries chopped
- 8 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- ½ red onion diced
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
Ingredients for the strawberry dressing
- ⅓ cup strawberries chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- ⅓ cup raw honey optional
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and pulse until smooth.6 cups chopped romaine lettuce, ⅓ cup strawberries, 1 garlic clove, ⅓ cup raw honey, ⅓ cup white wine vinegar, ½ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- In a salad bowl, toss together the strawberries, bacon, red onion, and bell pepper.2 cups strawberries, 8 strips bacon, ½ red onion, 1 bell pepper
- Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.
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