Arugula & Berry Salad with Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds and Homemade Strawberry Vinaigrette

Tags

Recipes, Salads

Since its Summer time, I wanted to make something light, that would be easy to put together and a recipe that would use fresh seasonal ingredients.

Have you had the Strawberry Salad at Longhorn? Well, If you like that salad, I guarantee you will LOVE this salad.

This salad is AMAZING.

This is honestly my favorite salad and I will be making it several more times before summer is over.

 Oh, and the Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds…forget about it. One bite and you’ll be hooked. I had to stop myself from eating it by the handful. Actually, my husband already has plans of me making batches of this so he can take it to work for a snack.

Everything about this salad is delicious.. especially the vinaigrette.

It’s Summer, time to try something new!

Salad:

Baby Arugula

Blueberries

Feta Cheese, crumbled

Strawberries, sliced

Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds:

1 cup Sunflower Seeds

1 teaspoon Butter

1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Honey

½ teaspoon Sea Salt

Strawberry Vinaigrette:

1 clove Garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce (I use Cholula)

¼ cup Rice Vinegar

3 tablespoons Strawberry Preserves

½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ cup Canola Oil

Sea Salt, to taste

freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

To make Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds:

Preheat Oven to 400F.

Place Butter and Olive Oil in Small Cake Pan (I used a Small Cast Iron Skillet) and place in oven for 1 minute until butter is melted.

Add Honey and Sunflower Seeds to the pan and stir to coat completely.

Cook 5 minutes, Stir, Cook another 5 minutes.

(Careful not to burn)

Remove from oven and place on tin foil sprayed with nonstick spray.

Salt to taste and let cool.

Store in an airtight container.

To make Strawberry Vinaigrette: 

In a bowl combine Garlic, Dijon, Vinegar, Preserves and Hot Sauce. Stir to combine.

Add Oils while whisking continuously.

Add Salt/Pepper to taste

Place in a bottle for serving.

(Store in refrigerator for up to 2 days)

 

To make Salad:

Place a bed of Baby Arugula on a plate.

Top with Sliced Strawberries, Blueberries, crumbled Feta Cheese and a sprinkle of Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds.

Drizzle with Strawberry Vinaigrette.

Serve immediately.

 

This salad is a meal in itself because you will want to eat more and more and maybe, just a little more.

*Recipe adapted courtesy of: http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2012/05/arugula-blueberry-salad-w-goat-cheese/