Raspberry Spinach Salad

This is a delicious, light salad that we enjoyed on our deck on one of the first nice days of spring.  We moved to Milford, Michigan, a year ago, and one of my favorite things about our home is the view of our back yard from our deck.  It’s beautiful green grass and towering trees gives it the feel of living in the country even though we’re a 10-minute bike ride from Milford’s bustling downtown.  We even get visitors by way of deer, wild turkeys, and the gopher that lives under our shed in the backyard, whom we’ve named Topher.

 

INGREDIENTS

raspberryspinachsalad.jpg

¾ cup balsamic vinegar
1/3  cup olive oil
1 ¾  cup fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp sugar
salt & pepper
½ cup pickled red onion
½ cup pine nuts
4 cups fresh baby spinach, bunched and sliced thinly into ribbons

 

DIRECTIONS

  • Discard the seeds and return the raspberry mixture to the blender.
  • Add the reduced balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper to the blender and blend to create the dressing.
  • Place the spinach and pickled red onion on a plate and add the rest of the fresh raspberries.  Top off with the dressing.
  • Pour the balsamic vinegar in a saucepan on medium heat.  When it starts to boil, reduce the head to low and continue cooking for 15-20.  Set aside when finished.
  • Add the 2/3 cup raspberries to a blender and blend until smooth.  Place a sieve over a medium bowl and strain mixture through to get the seeds out.
Lunch, Dinner, Vegetarian, AppetizersMarie Kellysalad, raspberriesComment