Spinach, Chicken & Fruit Salad
24. May, 2010 
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By Beth Runkle
It is close approaching … summertime! Are you ready for the family gatherings, outdoor parties or just a light entree after a long ride on the bike? Have you ever been asked by the hostess to “bring a salad” and you weren’t sure what to bring? As Natalie Knowlton and her mother Ruth would say, “The debate would start: potato salad, green salad, pasta salad, chicken salad, or fruit salad??”
The two of them put their heads together to come up with a way to combine all these salads together to get all the benefits with none of the cons. Baby spinach was their favorite green, but they added Romaine for variety. With this decided the base was complete and they started adding. Natalie notes, “Potatoes didn’t really work, but you still get your carbohydrates from the pasta and the rest of the Food Guide Pyramid fits right in.”
Natalie goes on to say, “Anyone can invent a salad recipe” but after all, she is the Family and Consumer Science Teacher at Treasure Mountain International School (Park City School District.) Natalie notes, “One of the best places to start if you are new to abandoning the recipe book and getting creative, is with the salad.”
Here are some of Natalie & Ruth’s tips to being creative with your salads:
- Include a variety of flavors & textures: pair sweet & juicy mandarin oranges with salty crunchy walnuts or strong Swiss cheese with mellow mushrooms.
- Don’t be afraid to add corn, black beans, couscous, apples (or anything from the fridge that needs to be eaten)
- Experiment with different lettuces
- Most important: go easy on the dressing! Ideally, dressing should enhance the flavor, not cover up the lack thereof.
Here’s the delicious salad recipe by Natalie K. Knowlton & Ruth N. Knowlton
Spinach, Chicken & Fruit Salad
Salad Ingredients:
- ½ pkg fresh baby spinach (approx. 4 cups)
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 2-3 cups bow-tie pasta, cooked and chilled
- 2 pears, cored and sliced
- 2 cups strawberries, washed and quartered
- 2 chicken breasts, grilled and cut in bite size pieces
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
Dressing:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 of a red onion, minced
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Directions:
Wash and dry spinach and lettuce. Combine spinach, lettuce, pasta, fruit, and chicken. Toss gently. Combine all dressing ingredients and wisk. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently.
Sprinkle salad with cheese and almonds. Toss gently one more time. Serve immediately.
Note: Try other fruits such as mango, mandarin oranges, peaches, grapes, pineapple, Craisins, etc.
That sure looks super yummy!
This looks like the best salad EVER! What amazing women to dream this up!
Ms. Knowlton-Your salad is amazing & you are the BEST teacher on EARTH!!
MMMMmmmmmmmm!! Excellent salad!!
That sure looks super yummy!
I always thought strawberries in a salty salad would taste kind of weird…but it’s realy yummy and a new mix for my tastebuds!
That looks so yummy!!! I am new to your site! I love it, I am new to cycling and have loved reading here.
Thanks for the GREAT salad recipe! Thanks also for the encouraging words re:creating a good salad. Salad-making always seems tricky to me! While I’m at it, just thanks for this whole site – it rocks!