We love this simple, fresh and healthy Strawberry Feta Summer salad with a delicious homemade balsamic dressing. Enjoy as a side dish or main course.
4-6 servings
–for the salad
6 cups artisan lettuce, rinsed, dried and coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
–for the dressing
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
To make the dressing: Add all ingredients into a mason jar. Shake until well combined. Using a piece of lettuce for tasting, dip it into the dressing and add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the salad with dressing to taste before serving.
This dressing will last for a few weeks stored in the refrigerator, simply shake before serving to emulsify it again.
~ Marla Meridith
For this stuffing recipe, I added fresh tart cranberries and diced sweet apples. They compliment each other nicely. Served from a nice casserole dish it is the perfect side to any meal.
8 – 10 Servings
10 pieces [Sprouted Grain Bread, cubed & toasted
1 large Sweet Potato (Garnet Yam) – enough to fill a half sheet pan, cleaned, skin left on, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
Olive Oil spray
splash of Olive Oil
a few pinches of dried Thyme
a few pinches of cracked Black Pepper
a few pinches of Garlic Salt
a few pinches of Smoked Paprika
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Leeks (about 3 leeks-white & light green part) cleaned & chopped
a few cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted Butter
1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped. Plus extra for garnish.
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried cranberries (If you prefer them sweet then go with the dried. See Notes)
1 large Apple diced (about 1 cup)
2 large Eggs, whisked
2 1/2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
–Toasting the Bread
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven.
Cut bread into 1-inch cubes with a serrated knife.
Lay bread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
Spray bread cubes with some olive oil cooking spray.
Toast bread for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, tossing once to evenly cook.
Set aside to cool.
–Roasted Sweet Potatoes
While you are toasting your bread you can roast the sweet potatoes too.
Toss sweet potatoes with a splash of olive oil, some thyme, garlic salt, pepper & smoked paprika.
Place cut sweet potatoes in a single layer on aluminum sheet pan.
Roast potatoes for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned & softened.
Set aside to cool.
–Stuffing
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Spray or butter a 9 X 13 oven-safe casserole dish.
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat melt the butter.
Add leeks, celery, garlic and a pinch of each spice again. Heat about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.
Add the cranberries, apples, and parsley. Cook a couple of minutes until cranberries start to pop.
Put toasted bread in a large bowl. Add cranberry-leek mixture, eggs & broth and mix well to combine.
Press a layer of stuffing into the casserole dish, add a layer of sweet potatoes. Top with another layer of stuffing and sweet potatoes.
bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown on top.
–Notes
In this recipe I wanted the cranberries to be in their natural state. You can also use sweetened dried cranberries too. Since they take up less volume you might want to go with 1/2 cup. Soak them in hot water until plump before you add them to the stuffing mixture.
Add a handful of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
I use my 1/2 sheet aluminum cookie sheet pan for most of my toasting & roasting – in this case for the bread cubes & sweet potatoes.
~ Marla Meridith
For this stuffing recipe, I added fresh tart cranberries and diced sweet apples. They compliment each other nicely. Served from a nice casserole dish it is the perfect side to any meal.
8 – 10 Servings
10 pieces [Sprouted Grain Bread, cubed & toasted
1 large Sweet Potato (Garnet Yam) – enough to fill a half sheet pan, cleaned, skin left on, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
Olive Oil spray
splash of Olive Oil
a few pinches of dried Thyme
a few pinches of cracked Black Pepper
a few pinches of Garlic Salt
a few pinches of Smoked Paprika
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Leeks (about 3 leeks-white & light green part) cleaned & chopped
a few cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted Butter
1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped. Plus extra for garnish.
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried cranberries (If you prefer them sweet then go with the dried. See Notes)
1 large Apple diced (about 1 cup)
2 large Eggs, whisked
2 1/2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
–Toasting the Bread
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven.
Cut bread into 1-inch cubes with a serrated knife.
Lay bread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
Spray bread cubes with some olive oil cooking spray.
Toast bread for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, tossing once to evenly cook.
Set aside to cool.
–Roasted Sweet Potatoes
While you are toasting your bread you can roast the sweet potatoes too.
Toss sweet potatoes with a splash of olive oil, some thyme, garlic salt, pepper & smoked paprika.
Place cut sweet potatoes in a single layer on aluminum sheet pan.
Roast potatoes for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned & softened.
Set aside to cool.
–Stuffing
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Spray or butter a 9 X 13 oven-safe casserole dish.
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat melt the butter.
Add leeks, celery, garlic and a pinch of each spice again. Heat about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.
Add the cranberries, apples, and parsley. Cook a couple of minutes until cranberries start to pop.
Put toasted bread in a large bowl. Add cranberry-leek mixture, eggs & broth and mix well to combine.
Press a layer of stuffing into the casserole dish, add a layer of sweet potatoes. Top with another layer of stuffing and sweet potatoes.
bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown on top.
–Notes
In this recipe I wanted the cranberries to be in their natural state. You can also use sweetened dried cranberries too. Since they take up less volume you might want to go with 1/2 cup. Soak them in hot water until plump before you add them to the stuffing mixture.
Add a handful of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
I use my 1/2 sheet aluminum cookie sheet pan for most of my toasting & roasting – in this case for the bread cubes & sweet potatoes.
~ Marla Meridith
