by Cathy Killian

Created on: April 25, 2008

I'm Popeye, the sailor man, toot, toot! Ah, I used to think that spinach was that awful green stuff in the can; that slimy-looking mush that gave Popeye monstrous muscles instantly. For years, I wouldn't touch the stuff and I sure wouldn't feed it to my babies. Yuk!

Then we visited my brother and his wife at their new home in Myrtle Beach and what does my precious sister-in-law, Claudia, serve for dinner? That's right... spinach salad. I'm thinking, "I'm not eating this stuff". But it DID look appetizing with the strawberries calling my name and, well, ya gotta be polite, even with family, right? Oh, WOW-what a pleasant surprise! One bite and I was hooked. This was not your slimy, mushy, pour-it-out-of-the-can, Popeye's muscle-boosting green stuff. It was, well-wake up taste buds and give me more of that, please!

Her spinach/strawberry salad blends just the right taste of some unusual ingredients, including poppy seeds and sesame seeds. And how simple is this: it's all mixed in the blender! You simply pour the dressing over top right before you serve it. I have taken this to our church dinners and there isn't one person who turns up their nose (but they DO close their EYES on occasion, savoring the taste on the pallet).

Mix together one bag of fresh baby spinach greens, and one quart of sliced, fresh strawberries. Chill in the fridge while you make the dressing and until you're ready to serve.

Put in blender:
one half cup vegetable or canola oil
one fourth cup cider vinegar
a small onion, diced (or I use a teaspoon of onion powder, still gives the same flavor),
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
one half cup sugar (I use Splenda, same amount as the sugar)

Blend till white and creamy.

You can chill the dressing, just "refresh" it in the blender before serving.

When you're ready to serve your guests, pour the mixture over the chilled greens and berries, give it a toss, and top with slivered almonds. The recipe easily doubles and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

This salad goes well with just about any meat. Claudia served it with a turkey my brother cooked on the barbecue grill. I've served it with ribs, burgers and lasagna, too. It's a pleasant change from plain old tossed salad; like eating dessert first!

My sister-in-law lost her battle with cancer last April, but her sweet spirit and her spinach salad recipe live on. We miss you, Claudia.

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