Koyo Berry Summer Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

What You'll Need:

For the Candied Walnuts:

• 1 cup walnut halves/pieces
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the Salad:

• 6 cups of fresh spinach or arugula (or a mix of both)
• 1/2 a red onion, soaked and drained
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (Meredith Dairy sheep and goat feta preferred)
• 3 trays of Oishii Koyo strawberries, stems removed & sliced. 

For the Poppyseed Dressing:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

1. Make the Candied Walnuts:
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add walnut halves/pieces, white sugar, and unsalted butter to the skillet.
• Stir frequently for about 5 minutes until the sugar melts and coats the nuts evenly. Be cautious not to let it burn, especially towards the end.
• Once the sugar mixture is completely melted and the nuts are coated, immediately transfer them onto a sheet of parchment paper.
• Separate the candied nuts quickly using two spatulas before the coating hardens.
• Allow the candied walnuts to cool, and once they are hardened, you can add them to the salad.

2. Prepare the Salad:
• Wash and dry the spinach or arugula, or a combination of both, and place it in a large salad bowl.
• Slice the soaked and drained red onion into thin rings or strips.
• Add the sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and the perfectly ripe Oishii Koyo strawberries to the salad bowl.
• Make the Poppyseed Dressing:
• In a separate bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, poppy seeds, honey, and Dijon mustard.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Whisk the dressing until all ingredients are well combined.

4. Assemble the Salad:
• Drizzle the poppyseed dressing over the salad mixture in the bowl.
• Gently toss the salad to ensure all ingredients are coated with the dressing.
• Top the salad with the candied walnuts.