Spinach Strawberry Salad with Baked Goat Cheese

It is strawberry season in Florida. Our season can start as early as January and go through April, with February and March being the peak of the season. We went strawberry picking over the weekend. It was beautiful weather - sunny, breezy, and not too hot.

The tyke had a blast picking strawberries. After a brief tutorial from Hubs, the tyke went right for the reddest berries. Except that he kept poking his fingers into them. I had to separate them from the intact berries so that we'd eat the gouged ones first.

All in all, we ended up with 9 lbs of strawberries. I've been searching for interesting recipes in which to use them.

I found this yummy salad that not only called for strawberries, but goat cheese (one of my favorite foods.) Bingo! I also liked that the strawberries were part of a savory dish.

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Baked Goat Cheese
Adapted from Closet Cooking


4 oz goat cheese
¼ c bread crumbs
¼ c halved pecans
½ balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs honey
3 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried mustard
Salt and pepper
6 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
2 c strawberries, sliced
2 green onions, light green and green parts thinly sliced



Freeze goat cheese for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Remove from freezer, and slice into thick rounds. Dredge the goat cheese in the bread crumbs, making sure to completely cover the cheese. Place goat cheese rounds on a baking sheet. Place pecan halves in an even layer on same baking sheet. Bake until pecans are toasted, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven, and roughly chop pecans. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, and mustard. Whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the spinach, strawberries, and green onions in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the mixture, and toss to combine. Divide salad evenly into four bowls. Top with chopped pecans and a goat cheese round.