Strawberry Basil Poppy Seed Balsamic Vinaigrette

"Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward"

~Jasmine Heiler~

Springtime in Central Florida brings the infamous Plant City Strawberries to every Farmer's Market and it's exciting to think about new recipes to create and new healthy dishes to enjoy!

On this first day of April, I desired a light vinaigrette for my salad so on the way home from Church, we found a new produce stand on Hwy 98N in Highland City, FL and decided to check it out.

2 quarts piled-highs of strawberries for $4.00 was not to be resisted so they became the fruit base for my new vinaigrette recipe. 

Strawberry Basil Poppy Seed Balsamic Vinaigrette

I started with my base salad: 

• Romaine Lettuce
• Fresh thinly sliced pear
• Cucumber
• Thinly sliced onion
• Thinly sliced red pepper

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 3/4 C Frangrante Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 dozen large Strawberries, washed and hulls removed
• 5 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 TBSP Raw Organic Blue and White Agave Syrup
• 12 large freshly-picked Basil Leaves
• 1/4 medium-sized Onion
• 1.5 TBSP Poppy Seeds
• 1/4 TSP Spike
• 1/8 TSP Black Pepper

Steps:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor to blend slowly.

2. Check to see that all onion has been finely chopped and blended well into the liquid mixture. If not blended totally, set on a higher speed for 5 - 10 seconds. 

Makes approximately 10-12 oz.

Pour vinaigrette over your salad. 

* Optional: add walnuts or sliced almonds to top of salad for additional Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids and Protein

If like me, you are more of a Vinaigrette-lover than a creamy dressing lover and you don't have the time to be inventive and creative, then you might enjoy this kindle version of Wonderful Vinaigrette. And GREAT news: If you don't have a kindle, as I don't, you can download Kindle for PC and read Kindle books on you r home PC or laptop! Now isn't that wonderful!? I think so!

More Vinaigrette Recipes & Products that you may enjoy:

And PLEASE, email me or comment on this blog how you liked the recipe, how you used it, how you may have altered it (no worries, I do this frequently!, that's the fun of it all!) etc. Love hearing from you!

Free Recipe: Cream of Asparagus, Celery, Fennel & Portabello Soup

There's nothing like the full-bodied flavor of a steaming, cream soup made with fresh, organic vegetables and home-grown herbs!

The original recipe was tasty but for the Christmas season, I had additional vegetables so I wanted to experiment with and use them. I was not disappointed!

My recipe can be found at this LINK at allrecipes.com.

·         1 Lb. Fresh asparagus

·         1 Medium red onion (finely chopped)

·        ¾ Cup of celery hearts (finely chopped)

·         ¾ Cup fresh fennel (finely chopped)

·         ½ Cup baby portabellos (finely chopped)

·         1/2 Cup vegetable or turkey broth

·         3 Tablespoons Nutiva Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (may substitute with Butter)

 

·         4-5 Tablespoons non-bleached white flour

·         1 Teaspoon Spike (may substitute with Mrs. Dash & Sea Salt)

·         1 Teaspoon ground black pepper

·         I Teaspoon onion powder (or more, as per taste)

·         1 1/4 cups vegetable or turkey broth

·         1 Cup original almond milk (may substitute with cow’s milk or soy milk)

·         1/2 Cup plain Greek yogurt

·         Zest of one medium lemon

·         1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice (as per taste)

·         1/4  Cup fresh-picked basil

·         Optional: 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.    Place asparagus, chopped onion, fennel, celery and portabellos in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of broth. Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until the vegetables are tender. Just before you remove this mixture from stove, add ¾ of the fresh basil.

2.    Place vegetable mixture in an electric blender 

and puree until smooth.

               

3.    Melt coconut oil in the pan that was used for simmering the vegetables Stir while sprinkling flour, spike, pepper and onion powder into the oil. Do not let the flour brown. Allow the mixture to cook approximately 1.5 minutes.

4.    Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups broth and increase the heat. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.

5.    Stir the vegetable puree and milk into the saucepan. 

Whisk the Greek yogurt into the mixture, 

followed by lemon juice and lemon zest. 

Stir until heated through, then ladle into bowls. 

Garnish each bowl with 3-4 basil leaves shaping it like a flower.

6.    Optional: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before adding the basil.

Savor The Flavor of Fresh-Grown Herbs

I first began growing my own herbs in 2009. Being a lover of and daily consumer of fresh green salads, it had been my longed-for desire to have fresh herbs to compliment them.  The Supermarket cost of 1 package of fresh herbs cost about the same or more than a new plant.

My wish came true:  it was in Idaho where I finally had my own  home so my husband and I designed and built a small raised garden in our backyard.




Besides planting veggies and  herbs in the garden directly, I also placed them in pots and crates on our patio pad.

   

I really enjoy the flavor of a variety of herbs but I think my most-favored one is BASIL!

I've grown Sweet Basil, Thai Basil, Boxwood Basil, Cinnamon Basil, Lemon Basil and Chocolate Basil and YES - they truly do taste just like those flavors.

My list of reasons why I love living in Florida seems to grow each day and one of them certainly is the fact that I can grow herbs outdoors most of the year (haven't tried it in Dec/Jan yet).

Today I was craving the taste of my lovely Basil so I picked Sweet Basil, Cinnamon Basil and Boxwood Basil  









I mixed them all together and added them to my salad 


Salad Ingredients:

• Spinach
• Green Peppers
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Onion
• Garlic
• Cabbage
• Portabello Mushroom
• Frozen Blueberries
• Frozen Raspberries
• Frozen Blackberries

I topped it off with my Hazelnut Vinagrette:

• Hazelnut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Minced Garlic
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Braggs Liquid Aminos
• Red Wine
• Maple Syrup
• Minced Onion

Product Recommendations For Lovers of Herbs

  Aerogarden 6 Pod Elite with Gourmet Seed Kit


Grow delicious, healthy herbs and vegetables, right in your kitchen! AeroGarden's NASA-tested aeroponic technology grows plants in water, nutrients and air. It works so simply that anyone can succesfully grow. The AeroGarden Elite 6 uses a new more powerful Advanced Growing System to achieve 30% better growth than the already productive Aerogarden Classic. Comes with everything that you need to begin growing right away. Includes the gourmet herb kit with Genovese Basil, Chives, Thyme, Mint, Oregano, and Dill.

Aerogarden 6 Pod Pesto Basil Seed Kit
This all Genovese basil seed kit is perfect for making pesto. Specially designed for the Aerogarden 6 pod systems. Kit includes 6 Genovese basil pods and plant nutrients for a full season worth of basil.

Aerogarden Herb'n Serve Vinaigrette & Marinade Maker

The perfect companion to the abundant fresh herb harvests from your AeroGarden. Just add oil and vinegar to premeasured markings on carafe and a handful of freshly harvested AeroGarden herbs for garden-fresh vinaigrettes and marinades. Serve them tableside in the detachable carafe. Includes 20 recipes from around the world. Stainless steel blade, use-anywhere convenience (batteries included).

Fruit & Turkey Salad With Zesty Berry Marinade

Yesterday morning upon arising, the temperature here in Winter Haven, FL was a freezing 30 F, with frost covering everything.

It was the second morning in a row with such temps, except the previous day, it was 33 F when I awoke.

This is the vapor on the pond behind our home.

Everything was still and almost silent at sunrise except for the ducks still swimming & feeding in the pond.

Well, with such a nippy morning, I desired something zesty and zippy to start my morning with. Yesterday at the outdoor produce market near CR540A near the Lakeland/Bartow Border, I picked up a delicious pineapple for $1.99 and pears for $0.99/lb and I also had leftover turkey in the fridge and a bit of remaining mixed-berry fruit puree we had made for our French Toast on Christmas morning.

The majority of the time I invent my own meals or modify recipes I have or even google a few ingredients that I have on hand and see what delicious, healthy recipe appears. And from there, modify to what appeals to my taste buds :-).

So, with that said, here is my December 29, 2010 Invention: 

Fruit & Turkey Salad With Zesty Berry Marinade



Main Ingredients: (You may choose the variety of fruit depending upon the season or availability as well as the choice of protein)

• 3 Spears Fresh Pineapple
• 1 Medium Fresh Bartlett Pear
• 1 Medium Fresh Orange
• 1 Medium Ripe Banana
• 1 Cup Cooked Turkey

Step 1: Cut fruit and turkey into bitesize pieces and place in a bowl.

Marinade Ingredients: (you choose quantity for your own taste preferences)

• Mixed Berry Puree
• Apple Cider
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Step 3: Put above ingredients into a shaker cup (instead of a blender which can produce too much froth) and shake until all are blended evenly. Pour liberally and immediately over the fruit/turkey combo mix (decide quantity depending upon taste preference).

1.5 TBSP Freshly Ground Flax Seeds - Flax seeds can be ground in a coffee grinder or blender. Flax seeds are high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals (compounds produced by plants) called lignans (phytoestrogens)

Step 4: Sprinkle over top of Main Ingredients after pouring on the marinade.  

• Berry Blend - I used strawberries, blackberries and added blueberries from another source.

Step 2: Place 1 Cup of Frozen Berries into blender with approximately 1/2 Cup of hot water and pulse the contents until pureed.

• Apple Cider (not apple juice) - approximately 1 part to every 3 parts Berry Puree

• Balsamic Vinegar - approximately 1 part to every 3 parts Berry Puree

• Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil - approximately 1 part to each 3 parts of Berry Puree

• Garnish with 1 TBSP Fresh Picked Spearmint Leaves and eat immediately.

        ** To my readers: if you try this recipe, please make comment how it turned out, how you liked it, modified it, ingredients used etc. Also you can join my Facebook page and make your comments there! Thanks!