Summer Blueberry and Baby Spinach Salad

[vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none” parallax=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output][/text_output][text_output][dropcap]S[/dropcap]ummer. Sunshine, trees swaying in warm breezes, flip-flops or bare feet, grilling and sangria, and always the most brilliant shades of fresh produce to grace the summer table. A time to relish a slower pace of life and the warmer days that accompany the season.

I cherish every bite of sweet berry and every juicy drip of sweet stone fruit. The flavors of grilled summer corn and slices of cold watermelon lace my dreams at night. Waking to another day of food bliss.

This is the time of year I love to get creative. Grilling fruit or leafy greens for side dishes or salads. Pairing a variety of produce with meat, fish and poultry to create new combinations of flavors.[/text_output][line][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][columnize]One of my favorite dishes to prepare is a lunch or dinner salad paired with berries or stone fruit, baby greens, local goats cheese and nuts. I love mixing it up with a different fruit and leafy green each time, but I have to say, this Spinach and Blueberry Salad is one of my most savored combinations.

We have a bounty of local farms here in the Willamette Valley. Most of them small family farms that sell at local farmer’s market’s, our Co-op or at roadside farm stands. U-Pick farms dot the landscape as well and make for a fabulous summer day activity.

When my two sassy girls were little, I joined a family farm – sort of U-pick CSA. Once a week during the summer months we drove out to the farm to pick our share of seasonal produce. Every week I looked forward to our farm day. It felt completely delightful meandering through the summer crops picking our own produce – and such a joy to see my girls relish the farm and all our local small farm had to offer. Often wanting to take home the baby piglets.

Days at the farm always reminded me of when I was little. Growing up we had gardens, fruit groves, chickens, turkeys, goats for milking, rabbits, a pet sheep named Fearless, a stubborn pony named Sugar, a large and quite comical pet goose named Charlie, and three little pigs – Charlotte, Josephine and Lester (the cranky pig). Our little family farm was a wonderland to me. I would spend hours with the animals, roaming the property picking ripe berries and sweet stone fruit. Collecting eggs along with any ripe produce I’d find in the garden.

I’m sure you’ve heard this often, but it couldn’t be more true. Local, farm fresh food always tastes best. It creates the perfect base for a recipe and results in a tasty meal. Purchasing pesticide free locally raised produce, meat, eggs and poultry also helps keep our economy strong and our family farms thriving.

Next time you plan your food shopping, include a stop at your local co-op, farmer’s market, local farm or farm stand. There are also new farm to consumer companies, such as Farmstr, providing consumers with local farm fresh food at a much lower cost than the markets.

I found these blueberries at one of our local blueberry farms; the spinach, chevre (goat cheese) and walnuts from my co-op, but all locally produced. I sometimes use our local Oregon hazelnuts as well. Just dress it, toss it and serve it alone or as a side with grilled fish, meat or poultry. A delightful reminder that summer isn’t over yet and remains a most delicious season.[/columnize][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none” bg_image=”10585″ parallax=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ accent=”false”] Summer Blueberry and Spinach Salad with Chevre and Toasted Walnuts [/custom_headline]

(Serves 4-6 as a side or 2-3 as a main dish)[/text_output][gap size=”1.313em”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/3″][text_output]Ingredients

• 4-6 cups baby spinach, about one good handful per person.
• 1 dry pint fresh summer blueberries
• 3-4 ounces chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts, lightly toasted
• Drizzle of good quality aged balsamic vinegar
• Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

[/text_output][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][text_output]Directions

1. In a large bowl toss the spinach with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, just enough to lightly coat the leaves. You want the spinach lightly coated and not weighed down by the olive oil. Usually a tablespoon or two will do.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Divide the spinach among 4-6 salad plates, top each plate with blueberries, crumbled chevre and toasted nuts. If serving family style, place the dressed spinach on a platter and then layer with blueberries, chevre and then the toasted nuts.
4. Serve immediately.
5. Options: I love pairing this salad with grilled fish, meat or poultry. A few grilled dry sea scallops or large Gulf shrimp are lovely on top of this salad. The fruit and vinaigrette pair beautifully with seafood.

[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output][callout type=”left” title=”Like this article?” message=”Receive updates about our issues right to your inbox!” button_text=”Subscribe to VRAI Magazine!” href=”http://eepurl.com/OiHkH” target=”blank”][/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][author title=”About the Author”][/vc_column][/vc_row]