2013 – Gluten Free Living

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette is awesome! I saw this fabulous salad recipe last week when I was hunting through salad recipes on WordPress. Wow, I wasn’t disappointed. I love spinach salads, and I love spinach salads with strawberries, pomegranates, apples, craisins, mandarin oranges, Pineapple and even bacon.  (I guess you can tell I enjoy Spinach Salads!).

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But this one had a twist I’ve never used before–peaches! Yay! I love peaches as they are my favorite fruit. I loved this combination too. Unfortunately, fresh peaches are just not available this time of year. My husband suggested trying it with dried peaches. Instead, I decided to try canned peaches. It was not a bad choice as the salad was quite wonderful.

On top of that, I decided to use the peach liquid which was composed of peach and pear juice and pulp and use that as a base for a homemade vinaigrette dressing. I made it with honey rather than sugar for those who have issues with sugar. The salad dressing turned out excellently too. This gluten free, low calorie, healthy salad recipe is a keeper. It’s a great way to eat healthy and enjoy what you’re eating at the same time!

In keeping with my 2013 theme to present lots of gluten free recipes here’s one I hope you and your family really enjoy. If you’re looking for new, fresh ways to eat healthy, and you’re tired of eating salad the same way all the time, here’s a great recipe you and your family can add to you weekly menus. If you are trying to lose weight this year consider this low calorie recipe to support your weight loss goals. We really loved this delicious salad and believe you will too!

I redid this recipe in February 2014 with some updated pictures. I’ve also tweaked the salad dressing to be a little bit sweeter. Enjoy.

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette has lots of juicy peaches and strawberries mingled with feta cheese and roasted pecans. Oh, my!

I made up my own salad dressing using the juice from the canned peaches.

This is a fabulous healthy, gluten free, low calorie, and incredibly delicious salad. You and your family will love it.

This close up allows you to see the texture of this marvelous Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette. This refreshing salad is so quick and easy to make. We loved the combination of strawberries with peaches. It was fabulous.

Here’s what I did.

 I used these ingredients for the salad.

Place a 9-oz. bag of spinach in a large salad bowl. You can de-stem the spinach leaves, if desired. Mix a 9-oz. bag of Romaine lettuce blend with red cabbage and carrots. Toss the two lettuces together.

Add a pound of sliced strawberries. 

I would have used 3 unpeeled, sliced fresh peaches if they were available. I substituted a 30-oz. can of sliced peaches instead. I used peaches in 100% juice. Drain the peaches saving the juice for the dressing. Pat the peaches dry before placing on salad. 

Roast pecans in toaster oven or oven at 400 for about 7-10 minutes. Toss the toasted pecans on top of the salad. Add 6-8-oz. feta cheese, crumbled on top of the salad.

I used these ingredients for the vinaigrette. 

Place all ingredients in a blender.

Blend all the ingredients in a blender for about 20 seconds until completely blended.

Taste the dressing. If you want it sweeter, add a couple more tablespoons of honey and blend again for a few seconds.

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette is a wonderful, flavorful and festive salad. It’s especially great for special occasions.

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette is so scrumptious. This gluten free salad is a great healthy option for lunch or dinner. Your family will love it and won’t even realize they are eating gluten free!

This picture shows the salad ingredients before the dressing has been added. Achieve your weight loss goals by adding this salad recipe to your regular menu.

Here’s the recipe.

FRUITY SPINACH SALAD WITH PEACHY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

(Salad recipe adapted from Words and Warmth)

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Teresa Ambra

This luscious spinach salad includes peaches, strawberries, toasted pecans and feta cheese. It's topped with a tasty peachy, balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Festive and beautiful for special occasions and holidays like Easter, Mother's Day or Father's Day. Gluten free.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 283 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large salad bowl with tongs
• 1 blender
• 1 sharp knife to pare vegetables or fruit
• 1 jelly roll pan to roast the pecans
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
• 1 small cookie sheet
• 1 toaster oven to toast nuts (or use regular oven)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

FRUITY SPINACH SALAD:

• 9 oz. bag baby spinach
• 9 oz. bag Romaine lettuce blend with carrots and red cabbage
• 16 oz. fresh strawberries sliced
• 8 oz. Feta cheese
• 3 fresh peaches diced, (I used 1 30-oz. can sliced peaches, patted dry, in 100% juice, reserving liquid)
• 2/3 cup pecans chopped, toasted if desired (measure after chopping)

PEACHY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

• 1 to 1 1/4 cups juice from canned peaches used in salad
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup honey or sugar as desired, and depending on your preference
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

 

FRUITY SPINACH SALAD:

• Fill a large salad bowl with baby spinach leaves.
• De-stem if desired.
• Add Romaine lettuce and toss together.
• Slice fresh strawberries and toss overtop the spinach and Romaine in the bowl.
• Dice fresh preaches and add to the salad. (Since I could not find fresh peaches at this time of year, I used 1 30-oz. can sliced peaches and reserved the juice).
• Place pecans in pan in toaster oven at 400° to 450° and roast for about 7-10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and toss over top of salad.
• Crumble Feta cheese over everything.
• Toss salad.
• Serve on plates and drizzle with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette.

PEACHY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 15-20 seconds to liquefy.
• Serve over salad.
• Makes about 2 1/8 cups vinaigrette.

Notes

NOTE: Because I didn’t have fresh peaches I used canned peaches packed in 100% juice – NOT syrup.

 

Salad recipe adapted from Words and Warmth.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 398mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 4904IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 166mgIron: 2mg

Keyword feta cheese, gluten free, peaches, pecans, salad, side dish, spinach, strawberries

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

PEACHY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

(My own concoction)

Lots of luscious fruit, nuts, and cheese in this delicious salad. Oh, my! It’s wonderful.

Why don’t you make this salad one of your healthy menu options this year? 

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette is rich in antioxidants and other healthy and nutritious vitamins so necessary for good health. This salad is so quick and easy to make. You can have it ready to serve in no time!

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Spring Mix with Peaches Walnuts and Feta

Peaches and Bananas

Peachy Fruit Salad

Fruity Spinach Salad with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Teresa Ambra

This luscious spinach salad includes peaches, strawberries, toasted pecans and feta cheese. It’s topped with a tasty peachy, balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Festive and beautiful for special occasions and holidays like Easter, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Gluten free.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 283 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large salad bowl with tongs
• 1 blender
• 1 sharp knife to pare vegetables or fruit
• 1 jelly roll pan to roast the pecans
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
• 1 small cookie sheet
• 1 toaster oven to toast nuts (or use regular oven)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

FRUITY SPINACH SALAD:

• 9 oz. bag baby spinach
• 9 oz. bag Romaine lettuce blend with carrots and red cabbage
• 16 oz. fresh strawberries sliced
• 8 oz. Feta cheese
• 3 fresh peaches diced, (I used 1 30-oz. can sliced peaches, patted dry, in 100% juice, reserving liquid)
• 2/3 cup pecans chopped, toasted if desired (measure after chopping)

PEACHY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

• 1 to 1 1/4 cups juice from canned peaches used in salad
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup honey or sugar as desired, and depending on your preference
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

 

FRUITY SPINACH SALAD:

• Fill a large salad bowl with baby spinach leaves.
• De-stem if desired.
• Add Romaine lettuce and toss together.
• Slice fresh strawberries and toss overtop the spinach and Romaine in the bowl.
• Dice fresh preaches and add to the salad. (Since I could not find fresh peaches at this time of year, I used 1 30-oz. can sliced peaches and reserved the juice).
• Place pecans in pan in toaster oven at 400° to 450° and roast for about 7-10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and toss over top of salad.
• Crumble Feta cheese over everything.
• Toss salad.
• Serve on plates and drizzle with Peachy Balsamic Vinaigrette.

PEACHY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 15-20 seconds to liquefy.
• Serve over salad.
• Makes about 2 1/8 cups vinaigrette.

Notes

NOTE: Because I didn’t have fresh peaches I used canned peaches packed in 100% juice – NOT syrup.

 

Salad recipe adapted from Words and Warmth.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 398mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 4904IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 166mgIron: 2mg

Keyword feta cheese, gluten free, peaches, pecans, salad, side dish, spinach, strawberries

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!