Spinach Watermelon Strawberry Salad – So Summery!

This sudden spring-summery-hot weather makes me feel like a kid again. I’m longing to play hopscotch, jump rope, whirl a hula hoop, throw a ball against a wall and chalk-draw on the sidewalk. I’m picturing peddle-boating, row-boating or sitting calmly in the bow of a canoe, staring at waterlilies, looking out for frogs and minnows, dragging my fingers through the still water and listening to the birds cutting through the silence.

I’ll have to settle for summery salad until I can beg, borrow or steal a grandchild to bring me back to those old pastimes. Perhaps a sojourn in the country will transport me back to those easy-breezy days. I’ll bring the Spinach Watermelon Strawberry Salad.

Spinach Watermelon Strawberry Salad 

• 8 c baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/2 c watermelon balls, bright red, firm but ripe, seedless and sweet
• 1 1/2 c strawberries, bright red, sliced and preferably local
• 1 c  seedless cucumber, seeded if necessary and diced
• 1/2 c red onion, sliced into thin circles
• 1/3 c thinly sliced almonds, very lightly roasted for about 5 minutes
• 1 c radicchio, shredded (optional–not in the original recipe, but added good flavour)
• 12 mint leaves, cut chiffonade as garnish (optional)

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette 

• 1 T light honey
• 2 T olive oil, fruity-tasting
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T Dijon mustard (original recipe called for 1 teaspoon – take your pick)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Assemble spinach, cucumber, onion, strawberries, watermelon and radicchio. Garnish with almonds and mint leaf chiffonade. Combine dressing ingredients. Serve the dressing on the side or pour over a large bowl of gently tossed salad ingredients.

The dressing is perfect–tart and sweet. The juicy watermelon makes dinner taste like dessert.

Spinach Watermelon Strawberry Salad Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Thank you Jittery fan, Liz Joffe, for sharing this delicious salad recipe. You walk the walk by growing your own ingredients.
• Check out Chris Georgieff and Mike Reinharz’s amazing brand new website, Vegan Carnivore.
• Find out how the Dalai Lama achieves inner peace. Just think how much you could accomplish if you were willing to rise at 3:30 a.m. every day.
• Find your own inner peace or whatever you seek at MomentumUniversity. See hot jittery resources for more info.
• Thanks to Omnomalicious for nominating Jittery Cook for The Versatile Blogger Award!