Strawberry Avocado Salad with Blackberries & Pine Nuts will be set to repeat this spring and summer! Hope you’ll join me!
I once met an avocado I didn’t like. Actually, it was all of them. What was I thinking?
When avocado first hit the streets…my streets, anyway…I didn’t go anywhere near it. I. did. not. like. it. But then something miraculous happened…Luc took a liking to, and began making, homemade guacamole.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
And thank goodness for that(!) because it’s a real favorite. Not only is it delicious, its nutritional value and health benefits are off the charts. Often referred to as a superfood, I’m thrilled that my taste buds finally got on board. Avocado makes appearances all the time now…from yummy salads to Chelsea’s famous avocado toast.
This salad was born out of necessity. My ability to focus and feel creative lately has been tested. So I dug deeeeep in my proverbial suitcase of strategies for getting through these fuzzy times and yanked out some simple ideas that work.
MUSIC. Always. And cranked. Dom yells that I am sure to lose my hearing one day, as he can hear what I’m listening to in my headset from across the room. I don’t do it often, but sometimes I have no choice. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough always gets my heart thumping.
EXERCISE. Of course. I recently began a ten week training program for the same 5k I ran last spring and will again this year. And although my knees sometimes feel less excited about the training than I do, it’s nothing my knee straps can’t remedy.
FOOD. This Strawberry Avocado Salad with Blackberries & Pine Nuts with a yummy vinaigrette is exactly the thing I need to shake it off. Nothing offsets a lack of creativity like proper nutrition…berries, nuts, greens, oh my…
This salad will indubitably clear the fog that is lingering in my brain. Its color. Its crunch. Its creativity boosting properties which help improve brain function, concentration, and visual memory are the perfect antidote for what ails me.
I love it.
I hope you will too!
Buon Appetito!
MORE SPRINGTIME SALADS:
CHOPPED CHICKPEA SALAD WITH ITALIAN VINAIGRETTE
RADISH AND PARSLEY SALAD WITH RICOTTA SALATA
ROASTED RED ONIONS WITH WALNUT SALSA & FETA
ASPARAGUS, PETITE PEAS & PROSCIUTTO
Strawberry Avocado Salad with Blackberries & Pine Nuts
- Category: Salad
Ingredients
- 4 handfuls baby kale (or arugula)
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 2 cups strawberry halves
- 1 cup blackberries
- 3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the kale, avocado, strawberries and blackberries. Set aside.
- In a small pan over medium heat, scatter the pine nuts. Toast until just browned and the oils release creating a nutty aroma.
- Add pine nuts to salad.
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until fully combined.
- Arrange salad on two plates.
- Dress with vinaigrette.
This post was originally published here April 10, 2015. The recipe has been slightly modified, and the text and photographs have been updated.
Where did you get the wooden bowl this gorgeous salad is in?
Isn’t she pretty! I got her at the Boston Public Market.
This is gone be my fav salad now on-wards. Thanks.
Thank YOU!
Lovely! I could just stare at that first photo! You should make prints! Great recipe.
Thank you, Mimi!! So sweet!
Very strange combination but how can it go wrong with all my favorite ingredients in it? Thank you!
Haha! Really can’t go wrong… Try it…see what you think! Thanks, Robin!
This is the kind of salad I would LOVE to eat every day for lunch! Power salad extraordinaire!
It’s funny how avocados weren’t all that popular until relatively recently, isn’t it? I must say, though, I’ve always been a BIG fan – combining them with all these other yummy ingredients in a salad is food heaven for me!
Oh yes! It is pret-ty good stuff, my friend! Thanks, Helen!
OH WOW! Check out the colours in that salad!
Yes, I can feel my brain cranking up now… 🙂
YESSS! Goal achieved! 🙂
I have always kind of liked avocados but this salad just makes me like it even more and that first picture with your phone on the side – my favorite!
Awh! Thanks, Ami!
Annie, I love that you used pine nuts in here! I love them in salads! This is gorgeous and perfect for spring!
Thanks, Manali! I love pine nuts too!
What a springy, perfect salad Annie! I could see myself eating this for lunch at work every day.
Thanks, Alyssa! That would be easy to do!
I love the combination of berries and avocados, we make some variation of it often and it’s great with grilled chicken! I’ve never added toasted nuts before, so this is going on the list (along with some raspberry vinegar)!
Oh my – I will definitely be making this with grilled chicken! That sounds delicious! Thanks, Kari!
This looks awesome! I love avo, but I totally understand the initial apprehension. I remember my old Chipotle order clear as day, and it had guacamole NOWHERE near it, because I was scared of the stuff 🙂
Hahha! Yep – we’ve come a long way! However, I still can’t eat cilantro! Thanks, Medha!