With strawberries in season, they're big, fresh and priced right to use by the pound! My kids love fresh strawberries, so it's easy to get them to eat anything if it has strawberries in it.
Strawberry-Apple Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips
Strawberry-Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Fruit Salsa
One of our favorite non-dessert dishes are the apple-strawberry salsa with cinnamon chips (I use "Stacy's" brand Cinnamon chips and Gingerbread chips). You could make your own by baking tortillas until crispy. Or use dried apple chips, graham crackers, etc. This is a terrific snack or appetizer to bring to a party. It's also a teacher-favorite (class parties, appreciation lunches).
Ingredients:
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, chopped
1 pint of strawberries or between 1-2 cups, sliced or chopped coarsely
2 kiwi chopped
2 Tbsp apple and/or peach jelly
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 orange, about a tsp of zest, and juice from 1/2 (if it's a large orange)
Mix in a bowl and serve immediately or chilled with the chips.
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Strawberry-Spinach Salad
A second non-dessert dish is a spinach-strawberry salad. The ingredients may sounds like an odd combination, but once you take a bite, you'll realize how perfect the marriage is.
1 bag baby spinach leaves, de-stemmed
1 pint strawberries, remove core and slice with egg slicer
3-4 fresh mushrooms, sliced - I use baby bellas
1/3 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 - 1 cup walnuts
Dressing:
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar is a good substitute)
1 Tbsp oil - olive or a lighter vegetable oil is fine
2 Tbsp raspberry jam
1 Tbsp honey
Toss salad ingredients with dressing and serve.
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