Strawberry Apple Salad

Fresh berries are so expensive these days, and I hate buying a $5 pint and finding that half the berries are overripe and not likely to last another day.  Instead of throwing away these mushy, blemished berries (because my kids won't eat them), I blend them up into a salad dressing instead.  The dressing is so sweet with the addition of the berries, and no one will ever know that they weren't perfect!  The sweet dressing goes well with other fruits in your salad - I've used apples here.  I threw in some pecans for protein, then after I took the photo I also added some salami strips, which were a huge hit.  Nice contrast of flavors!

Strawberry Apple Salad

3 cups spring mix lettuce
1 cucumber
3/4 cup green beans, cut in 1" pieces
2 apples, sliced thin, skin on
1 cup mixed strawberries and raspberries
1/4 cup orange juice or mango juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt to taste
1 cup pecans, whole
nitrite-free salami, sliced in strips

For the salad, toss the lettuce, cucumber, green beans and apples.  For the dressing, combine the berries,  juice, oil, vinegar and salt in a blender and whirl until the berries are pulp.  Pour the dressing over the salad, add the pecans and toss, then sprinkle the salami strips on top (they clump together if you try to toss them) (skip for a vegan version).

Shared with Gluten Free Weekly Meal Plan, Strut Your STuff Saturday, Market Yourself Monday, Metamorphosis Monday, Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday,  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, the Hearth and Soul Hop, Tuesday's Table, Show Me What You Got, Share It, Teach Me Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, The Homemaking LinkUp, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Wellness Weekend, Gluten Free Friday, Whole Food Friday, Gluten Free Tuesday, Healing with Food Friday and Mostly Homemade Monday.