A good salad can set the tone for the whole meal. At this time of year, when spring is warming into a fast-approaching summer, a strawberry-centric first course can be especially appealing. Enter Strawberry Fields Forever, a crisp, refreshing starter salad from The English Tea Room in Covington.
With fresh strawberries, cinnamon-spice candied walnuts, creamy goat cheese and a tea-infused vinaigrette, this salad has it all: the sweet, the salty and the spicy. When made with ripe, flavorful local strawberries, it is veritably irresistible.
Ripe, with nutrients
We are deep into strawberry season here in Louisiana. But buying local isn't just about taste. Produce that travels fewer miles can be harvested when it's fully ripe, and longer time to ripen on the vine means more nutrient density.
Strawberries contain essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, and compared to most fruits, they are relatively low in sugar. A cup of strawberries contains about 7 grams of sugar, 45 calories, 3 grams of dietary fiber and more vitamin C than an orange. In addition to vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect the body against oxidative stress, strawberries are rich in anthocyanins, which give strawberries their red color and can help reduce inflammation in the body.
A well-dressed salad
Strawberries may get star billing here, but the Tea-Infused Berry Vinaigrette is what really makes this salad sing. It also checks a lot of boxes: gluten free, vegan, low carb and low sodium. It starts with freshly steeped raspberry tea and a bottle of Hanley's Strawberry Vinaigrette.
Hanley's, based in Baton Rouge, started as a farmers market stand and now lives on store shelves statewide. I love their strawberry vinaigrette for its simple ingredients, all of which we could conceivably have in our home pantry. Because it's tea-infused, and not a cream-based dressing, it keeps for up to four weeks in the fridge.
Goat cheese, which has about 75% less sodium than traditional feta, delivers a salty creaminess that pairs perfectly with our zero-sugar candied walnuts.
The candied walnut recipe on this page is one of my go-to favorites, for both its sugar-free sweetness and its versatility. Made with Swerve -- a natural, zero-calorie plant-based sweetener -- the recipe also works for making keto-friendly 'candied' cashews, pecans or macadamias.
Find these and other Eat Fit-approved recipes in the Eat Fit Cookbook. Visit ochsnereatfit.com to get a 10% discount on the book's second edition when you use promo code ADVOCATE at checkout.
Strawberry Fields Forever with Tea-Infused Berry Vinaigrette - The English Tea Room
Makes 2 servings
6 cups spring mix1 cup strawberries, sliced1/4 cup candied walnuts (recipe below)1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese1/2 cup cherry tomatoes1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced2 tablespoons grated carrot2 ounces Tea-Infused Berry Vinaigrette (recipe below)
In a large salad bowl, toss together spring mix, strawberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and carrots. Divvy up onto two plates and serve with Tea-Infused Berry Vinaigrette.
Per serving: 260 calories, 19 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 230 mg sodium, 22 grams carbohydrate (15 net carbs), 7 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar, 3 grams added sugar, 8 grams protein
Tea-Infused Berry Vinaigrette
Makes nearly 2 cups
2 ounces freshly brewed raspberry teaOne 12-ounce bottle Hanley's Strawberry Vinaigrette
Steep tea and allow to cool. In a large bottle or mason jar with an airtight lid, combine two ounces of tea and bottle of vinaigrette and shake well. Store refrigerated for up to four weeks.
Candied Walnuts
2 tablespoons butter (or coconut oil)1 cup chopped walnuts2 tablespoons Swerve Granular1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/8 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning2 tablespoons Swerve Brown Sugar Replacer
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add walnuts to pan and coat. Sprinkle with Swerve Granular, cinnamon, and Tony Chachere's. Stir until caramelized. Remove from heat, spread onto parchment paper and separate. Sprinkle with Swerve Brown Sugar Replacer. Allow to fully cool before serving.
Swaps and tips
Want a vegan version? Replace butter with coconut oil to make the candied walnuts and sprinkle with a plant-based 'feta' crumble instead of goat cheese.
Need it nut free? Swap out walnuts for sunflower seeds toasted with the same sweet-spicy seasoning.
Want more walnuts? The recipe yields just enough for two salads, but double (or quadruple) the recipe for sweet and savory snacking later.
Can't find Hanley's Strawberry Vinaigrette? Make your own alternative dressing by whisking together balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a spoonful of no-sugar jam.
Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner's Eat Fit nonprofit initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly's podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media.