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Made with fresh strawberries, rocket leaves, and topped with the easiest dressing ever, this salad is definitely a winner! Top it up with some crunchy candied walnuts and salty feta to take things to another level.

Hey everyone! A very Happy New Year to you all! It’s my first post of this year and I’m so glad it’s something healthy! It’s funny how we start the year on a healthy note but end with something indulgent (check out my strawberry cream cake: last post of 2017). I know a lot of you have been trying to shed those extra pounds you gained during the holidays, so here’s a salad recipe that’ll trump all and make you wanna dig in for more. It’s sweet, tangy, fresh and bursting with flavours! I had a similar salad at a lunch last year and I’ve wanted to re-create the recipe ever since. Made a few changes here and there, and this one is even better than what I had!

Now I know a lot of you aren’t fans of salads, but this one really isn’t like the bland ones you end up making at home. This has flavours and textures that couldn’t dream would work together and the best dressing EVER. I make this dressing at home all the time for salads and it works beautifully over fruits. I’ve tried it with apples and lettuce (Which is another combination I love to do) and so instead of doing the traditional balsamic dressing, I thought I’d do this. It’s easy, quick and you probably have the ingredients lying at home right now. All you need is extra virgin olive oil, honey and lemon juice, and you have the best sweet and tangy dressing ready in a matter of minutes.

But the true star of the show, after strawberries, in this recipe are the candied walnuts. They’re really easy to make and serve as such a great addition to any sweet salad. They give a nice crunch without adding too much sweetness, which is exactly what I wanted here. And to top things off, crumble a little feta cheese of top and you have a winner ready! This salad really has everything, the best fruit, the best textures, the best dressing, and the best crunch! You really cannot go wrong with it.

Strawberry and Rocket Salad with Candied Walnuts and Feta

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Prep time

25 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Radhika

Makes: 3-4

Ingredients

For the Salad:
Strawberries, 1 cup (sliced)
Rocket Leaves or Bay Spinach, 3-4 cups
Feta Cheese, to crumble on top
For the Candied Walnuts:
Walnuts, ½cupCaster Sugar, ¼ cup
Butter, 1 tablespoon
Dressing:
Extra virgin Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons
Honey, 2 tablespoons
Lemon Juice, 1 tablespoon (you can add more if you want it tangier)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

To begin with, start making the candied walnuts. In a heavy bottom pan, heat sugar and butter on a low flame. Toss in the walnuts in and let the mixture heat up while constantly stirring.
In a few minutes, the mixture will turn caramel in color. Using a spatula mix the walnuts in this caramely goodness until they're completely coated. Immediately transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper. Separate the walnuts using a spoon while they're still hot so they don't stick later and turn into a big mess. Let them cool.
Make the dressing: In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under "dressing" using a fork until they're properly combined.
To assemble, toss in the rocket leaves, strawberries, and candied walnuts (once cold) in a large salad bowl. Drizzle the dressing over them and mix until everything is properly coated. Crumble some feta cheese on top. And serve immediately!