Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad with Homemade Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette
Cue my girl Ariana, “I’ve been drinking coffeeee and I’ve been eating healthyyyy.”
But seriously though, I went to my doctor for annual labs a few weeks ago, and my HDL levels were 50. Which, isn’t terrible, but it isn’t outstanding either (55-65 is best).
If you have been following along for a hot minute, you know I am all about balance and honoring cravings, but with that being said, I had kind of fell off the wagon where health and exercise are concerned. I also had prominent inflammatory markers in my blood, which doesn’t necessarily have everything to do with diet (some of it is genetic), but it did make me realize that I needed to start taking better care of myself!
Since then, I have tried to cut a few processed foods out of my diet and replace them with more wholesome ones (i.e. replacing my nightly scoop of ice cream with a smoothie). I have also tried to start pairing salads with a homemade dressing, which honestly, tastes even better than what I was having to begin with. This strawberry salad with goat cheese and homemade lemon-honey vinaigrette tastes so fresh, and it has been a lunch staple for the last couple of weeks!
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
2 cups chopped baby spinach
2 tablespoons dried blueberries
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
Optional protein: 4 ounces grilled chicken breast
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon white vinegar
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Build the salad by first layering the baby spinach, and then add the toppings.
In a separate small bowl, whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together and evenly pour over the salad.
Give the salad a good toss to evenly coat in the dressing and enjoy!
