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.
Home renovations can be really hard, especially for us who work from home!! I am glad you found a little extra inspiration in this beautiful salad. I think I need a doble portion hahaha.
Haha! Precisely! There’s no escaping it!! But this salad surely helped! Thanks, Oriana!
Having a gorgeous salad like this in front me would definitely help keep me focused and grounded. Good luck with the renovations!!
Thanks, Joanne!
Yep, those knees can be a killer. But training for races is always fun! It’s always nice to know that your body can do it.
This salad is lots of fun, so your creativity is still intact as far as I’m concerned! The blackberries are a really cool addition. Would never have thought of that!
I know…I love the training! Love it! Well, thanks for that, dear! The blackberries do add a nice burst of flavor.
I love all the positive energy going on here! I feel like I’ve just been given a pep talk and I really needed it. Our home improvement just finished floors and some painting, so you have my sympathy and cheering section right back at you! You can do it! Ours just moved to outside for project wood chipping. We had to trim (and I use the word trim very loosely) back all of our bushes and trees to make room for the new fence. Sigh….
And this salad looks delish! The avocado and me was love at first sight!
Hahah! Yes!! You and me both! Seems never ending sometimes but we’re getting there….you must be really excited to be moving outdoors…Thanks so much, Rachelle! Soon enough we’ll be looking back on this with a laugh!
I never used to like avocado either, which is astounding to me now. It’s one of my favourite things now! This salad looks fantastic, so much colour! I love all those berries in it!
Thank you, Stacey!
I love fruit in salads – and this is such a pretty salad, Annie. Looking forward to trying it. Nothing like a 5K to blast away the winter blues – good luck with your race!
You betcha! Thanks, Geraldine!
This salad looks gorgeous – I just love all those amazing colours! 😀
Thank you, Jess! Can’t resist that color!
So funny, I’m actually eating an avocado as I’m reading this 😉 Though I must say, I wish I had the other ingredients you listed, because this sounds so wonderful! Clean, refreshing, the perfect summer salad!
Good luck with your training! I can’t run to save my life 😛
Gosh, this is a perfect summer salad! Thanks, dear!
This looks awesome!!!
I can’t eat avacado anymore (makes my tummy sore) but I LOVE it. Though I can’t see any reason this salad wouldn’t be equally as delicious without it… or maybe I’ll just take an advil because seriously this looks amazing! Pinning for certain!
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Thank you, Laura! Awww- that is too bad but you know what? This salad is just as good without it. I promise!
I have a similar experience with avocado. In Brazil we eat avocado as a fruit, like in desserts, ice cream, smoothies. It took me a while to get used to guacamole (I love it now!) and sushi. I’m still getting used to eating it in salads and sandwiches. However, I love all the flavors in this salad and will definitely give this a try! 🙂
Wowza! Avacado Ice Cream… That’s interesting! Iron Chef worthy, I’d say! Thanks, Olivia!
This salad is gorgeous, Annie! I love the berries and avocado in here! I wasn’t always a fan either but now I can’t get enough 🙂 Good luck with training and your renos!
Thanks, Kelly! I’m seeing that avocado, for many, is an acquired taste!
This salad looks perfect, Annie! I love avocados so this is the perfect salad for me. And the blackberries look like the perfect touch, too!
Thanks so much, Gayle! I love the blackberries, too!!
Love the berries and freshness in this salad! Pinned! Good luck with training, sounds exciting!
Thanks, Mira! You are right on – the freshness that berries add to a salad is indisputable!! Have a great weekend!
Ann, that salad looks delicious. I have all the components on hand except raspberry vinegar and pine nuts. I do have almonds and strawberry balsamic vinegar. I’ll try that. I was just thinking last night that I’m sick of the same boring lettuce, tomato and cuke. Thanks for thinking outside the box for me…I guess I’m fuzzy in the brain lately too!
Oooo – almonds and strawberry balsamic vinegar sounds delish! Sometimes we have to think outside the box! Hopefully this salad will help us in our quest! Thanks, Karen!
This salad looks AMAZING! It took me a while to warm up to avocado too but now I can’t get enough 🙂
So I am not alone on this! Awesome! Thanks, Sharon!
Annie!! hooray. . glad you finally came around. . I love avocados! and yes to music, training for your 5k and this salad!!! woot woot!!! TGIF!
Thank ya, dear!! Feels like a party on a plate! 🙂
That salad looks amazing! I am utterly in love with avocados–I could eat them every single day and never get tired of them–they complement so many foods! Funnily, I only started really eating them when I got married–my husband’s Mexican and they are a huge part of his usual cuisine, so I guess the cause and effect makes sense.
Haha – it certainly does make sense! I have a similar experience pertaining to hummus! 🙂 Thank you so much, Rachel! Enjoy!
I didn’t eat avocados much growing up, but once I was older I couldn’t get enough of them. I love adding berries and avocados to salads, it’s so delicious! I love the dressing you included in this one too, sounds like the perfect touch.
Thank you, Danielle! I love loading salads up with fresh plump juicy fruit! Spring on a plate!
That looks absolutely amazing. I am going to make it!
Thank you, Sheryl! Enjoy!
Soul music is my favorite. 🙂 This salad looks fantastic. I wasn’t an avocado eater until college. I think I found out that I liked it by trying guacamole. Good luck with your 5k training! I ran three last year and am hoping to do some this spring!
Yes! Good for you! I’m hoping to do at least the one run, this spring…This salad just tastes like ‘health’ on a plate. So bright and tasty! Thanks, Erin! TGIF!