The Vitamix Salad Series: Strawberry Spinach Salad

It's finally strawberry season so I decided to try out this classic picnic recipe. Nothing makes spinach taste good like fresh strawberries!

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t salt

Dump ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7, then blend for 20 seconds. Serve with baby spinach, chopped fresh strawberries, and almonds.

Taste score: 9/10

Likes: We used to have this in the summer at the peak of strawberry season. I remember eating this recipe at a friend's BBQ because it was the first time I ever had spinach that I liked! I don't know if the dressing would be that good with any other combination. This was the perfect blend of fruity, sweet, and leafy crunch!

Dislikes: Again, the vinegar is a little overwhelming. Since I only had apple cider vinegar, I'd probably use white if I had it. 

Nutrition score: 9/10
Spinach is a superfood full of vitamin K and it's really good for your brain, your eyes, and your bones. Strawberries are a rich source of vitamin C. The sugar content of the dressing isn't ideal, but it's preferable to fatty ranch or creamy italian dressings.

The Vitamix Salad Series: Peach Basil Vinaigrette

Last time I tried making salad dressing, I made massive amounts of it. I ate salad with raspberry vinaigrette for a month. So now that I polished off the last of it, this time I'm going to cut the ingredients by a TON. Romaine lettuce was on sale this week, so I'll be experimenting with different salad dressings in the Vitamix Salad Series. Since frozen fruit was also on sale, first up is peach basil vinaigrette!

2 T olive oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey1 frozen peach (5-6 slices)
4 basil leaves

Dump ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7, then blend for 20 seconds. Serve with lettuce, chopped carrots, and almonds.

Taste score: 7/10

Likes: Refreshing and light! I've never seen peach dressing in stores, and I'm sure if it exists, it's probably gourmet and expensive. The basil was left over from the pesto sauce recipe. The combination was interesting and tasty.

Dislikes: Although it was good, I couldn't really taste the peach as much as I would have liked. The vinegar was overwhelming. Next time I'll just do 1 tablespoon vinegar. 

Nutrition score: 8/10
Peaches are a good source of fiber and vitamin A. Apple cider vinegar is very low in calories, and the olive oil has heart healthy fats.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup water

Dump ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7, then blend on High for 10 seconds.

Taste score: 7/10

Likes: I ate this dressing with baby spinach, chopped carrots, and a sprinkle of peanuts. Since I was running low on frozen raspberries, I also threw in a handful of blueberries. Leafy green vegetables are not my favorite, so when I find a fruity salad dressing that takes the edge off, I am perfectly content.


Dislikes: It kind of tasted like I poured a smoothie on my salad. I will definitely make this again, but I'll try 1/3 cup of fruit instead of 1/2.


Nutrition score: 7/10
Pretty good as far as salad dressings go. Since you're adding fruit to amp up the sweetness, only a little honey is needed.