Pecans – FoodWatcher

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

A fresh, vibrant, Strawberry Spinach Salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing, candied pecans, and insanely delicious flavors!

The post Strawberry Spinach Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I’ve made several versions of Strawberry Spinach Salad over the years, but this by far is my favorite! It includes fresh strawberries, salty feta cheese, candied pecans, and an easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The textures and flavors are insanely delicious and compliment each other perfectly! It reminds you of a fancy salad that you’d get at a cafe, but you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost. This is one of those “summer” salads that I could literally eat all year long!

Close up overhead shot of plated strawberry spinach salad.

What’s in Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad includes lots of wonderful flavors and textures that compliment each other perfectly. Here’s what you’ll need:

Baby Spinach – a simple bed of spinach greens is the base foundation for this salad.
Strawberries – fresh, juicy, strawberries add a simple and wonderful sweetness.
Red onion – slightly sharp and a nice contrast to the sweetness of the strawberries and candied pecans.
Feta cheese – soft, creamy, salty feta cheese pairs well with the strawberries in this salad. If you’re not a fan of feta cheese, goat cheese or blue cheese would also work well.
Candied pecans – these candied pecans, in my humble opinion, are one of the best parts of the salad. It adds a crunchy, sweet texture, and you can swap the pecans out for toasted walnuts or toasted sliced almonds, which would also be totally delicious!
Balsamic vinaigrette – easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing tops it all off.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

The dressing for this strawberry salad is probably my favorite part…ok it’s actually tied with the candied pecans! I started with Beth’s easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette and made one adjustment by replacing the mayonnaise with honey for a slightly sweeter taste. The results – absolutely amazing!

You can certainly use a store bought balsamic vinaigrette if you don’t have a well stocked pantry with all the necessary ingredients on hand, but I promise this homemade balsamic vinaigrette will taste wayyy better! I highly recommend you give it a try! ;)

If chopped nuts are a little too costly at your local store, toast up some day-old bread to use in place of the chopped pecans, similar to our Panzanella salad.
To bulk up the salad and make it stretch a little further, add your favorite pasta like penne or bow-tie pasta.

Side view of plated strawberry spinach salad

How To Store Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberry spinach salad stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days. In order to keep the spinach from wilting too much, it’s best to store the strawberries and the dressing separately and add them to the salad right before you’re ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

This salad makes a great lunch meal by itself, Monti and I totally gobbled it up at the test studio, but you can also add some grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp on top for a more filling meal. This salad also pairs well with other leaner protein like baked cod and pan-seared chicken.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

A fresh, vibrant, Strawberry Spinach Salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing, candied pecans, and insanely delicious flavors!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Total Cost $8.72 recipe / $2.18 serving

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings side salads

Calories 405kcal

Author Marsha – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil $1.10
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar $0.45
2 Tbsp honey $0.50
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard $0.09
1 garlic clove, minced $0.08
1/2 tsp dried basil $0.05
1/4 tsp salt $0.01
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02

Candied Pecans

1/2 Tbsp butter $0.07
2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.08
1 pinch salt $0.01
1/2 cup chopped pecans $1.15

Salad

8 oz baby spinach $1.83
1/2 lb strawberries, sliced $1.25
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced $0.21
2 oz crumbled feta cheese $1.82

Instructions

Start by making the homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic clove, dried basil, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to a jar, bowl, or blender. Close the jar and shake the ingredients together, whisk in a bowl, or blend until the dressing is evenly combined. Set the dressing aside.
Next make the candied pecans. Add the butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt to a small non-stick skillet. Heat over medium heat while stirring.
Once the butter and brown sugar begins to melt add the chopped pecans to the skillet and stir with the brown sugar mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring every 10-15 seconds until the brown sugar fully melts (looks glossy instead of grainy) and completely coats the pecans.
Remove the skillet from the heat immediately and transfer the candied pecans to a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the pecans out evenly in a flat layer and allow them to cool for 10 minutes while the candied coating fully hardens.
Now prep the strawberries, red onion and feta cheese. Remove the stems and slice the strawberries, thinly slice the red onion, and crumble the feta. Set these ingredients to the side.
Divide the spinach between four plates. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette on top of each bed of spinach.
Add sliced strawberries, red onions, a tablespoon or two of candied pecans, and a tablespoon of feta cheese to each salad. Feel free to drizzle a little more balsamic vinaigrette over the top of each and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Do you love easy summer salad recipes? Try our Creamy Cucumber Salad, Panzanella, or Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD – STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

Start by making the homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp honey, 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove minced, 1/2 tsp dried basic, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper to a jar, bowl, or blender. Add a top to the jar and shake, whisk in a bowl, or blend until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Set the vinaigrette dressing aside.

Chopped pecans, butter and brown sugar in a nonstick skillet

Next make the candied pecans. In a small non-stick skillet add 1/2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat while stirring just until the butter and brown sugar begins to melt. Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecan and stir to coat in the brown sugar mixture. Continue to cook for 2-4 minutes or until the brown sugar is fully melted (looks glossy, not grainy) and completely coating the pecans.

Candied pecans spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet

Remove the skillet from the heat immediately, to prevent the brown sugar from over cooking and burning. Transfer the candied pecans to a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out in a flat layer. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes and the sugar coating will fully harden.

Sliced strawberries, sliced red onion, feta cheese, and canided pecans on a wood cutting board

Now prep the rest of the salad ingredients. Wash and slice 1/2 pound of strawberries, thinly slice 1/4 of a red onion, portion out 2 oz of crumbled feta cheese, and gather your cooled candied pecans.

Baby spinach in a large serving bowl with balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Divide 8 oz of spinach between four salad plates (roughly 2 oz per plate) or you can add all of the spinach to a larger serving bowl. Add 2 Tbsp of the balsamic vinaigrette to each salad plate or drizzle 1/3 cup of the dressing over the bowl of spinach. Reserve the rest of the dressing to add right before serving.

Divide the toppings (sliced strawberries, sliced red onion, 1 tablespoon of crumbled feta, and 1-2 tablespoons of candied pecans) between the four salad plates or add the toppings to a larger salad serving bowl. Drizzle each salad with a little more of the balsamic dressing and enjoy!

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Morning Glory Muffins

Start your day with Morning Glory muffins! This recipe is packed with goodness: carrots, raisins, nuts, and warm spices. Looking…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Start your day with Morning Glory muffins! This recipe is packed with goodness: carrots, raisins, nuts, and warm spices.

Looking for a cozy breakfast or snack? Try these Morning Glory Muffins! This 1970’s muffin recipe is everything it’s cracked up to be. Each one is moist and warm-spiced, studded with carrots, pineapple, raisins and pecans. There’s a bit of whole wheat flour for nutty body and a hint of coconut sprinkles as a topping. It’s like a combination of carrot cake and applesauce cake, in muffin form! Here’s how to whip up a batch.

Why are they called Morning Glory muffins?

Turns out, this famous flavor was born in the 1970’s in Nantucket. Chef Pam McKinstry created the muffin recipe for her restaurant, the Morning Glory Café, in 1978. They quickly became popular and the recipe was published in Gourmet Magazine in 1981.

The original Morning Glory muffins recipe was a straightforward muffin. The batter featured all-purpose flour and cinnamon, and it was stuffed with raisins, carrots, apple, pineapple, pecans, and coconut.

Many riffs on the original have popped up in restaurants around the country, and the muffin started to take on a vaguely “health food” vibe, sometimes including either bran or whole wheat flour.

Ingredients in Morning Glory muffins

For this Morning Glory muffins recipe, we wanted to stay true to the original character of the muffins while also celebrating its vaguely “healthy” history. We took inspiration from this Epicurious source and former head of Tartine Bakery, who likes to add whole wheat flour and brown sugar to the mix to add that signature “brown” muffin texture. Here’s what you’ll need for this Morning Glory muffins recipe:

All-purpose and whole wheat flour
Granulated and light brown sugar
Cinnamon and allspice
Baking powder and salt
Canned pineapple
Grated carrots
Raisins
Pecans
Eggs
Applesauce
Vegetable oil
Milk
Vanilla extract

Mix-ins and variations

Morning Glory muffins have a variety of mix-in options, depending on the chef. If you’re used to this type of muffin, you may want to add one of the following:

Walnuts: use chopped walnuts instead of pecans
Coconut: add ¼ to ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Apples: add ½ cup peeled and diced apples
Orange zest: add 1 teaspoon orange zest for a beautifully zingy flavor

Tips for these Morning Glory Muffins

This Morning Glory muffin recipe comes together quickly and simply: just mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, and combine! Here are a few tips to making these muffins a success:

Resist the urge to overmix. Overmixing muffin batter can cause holes in the crumb and a denser texture. Mix just until the streaks of flour disappear.
Chop the pineapple finely. You don’t want huge chunks of pineapple here.
The muffin cups will be full to the brim. This is intentional: it makes for a hefty muffin with a generous muffin top.
Baking at 400°F makes a taller muffin. This temperature makes a taller muffin and it’s quicker to bake, versus 350°F which is standard.

Storage info

These Morning Glory muffins are even better the next day! Store them at room temperature overnight, and they become even more moist and delicious. Here are a few pointers:

Store up to 4 days at room temperature. Store in a sealed container and they become even more moist over time.
Store refrigerated for 1 week or more. Store refrigerated up to 1 week or more. Make sure to allow to come to room temperature before serving, otherwise they are very dense.
Frozen: Freeze the muffins in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

And that’s it! Let us know if you try these Morning Glory muffins and what you think.

More muffin recipes

Want to try more classic muffin flavors? Here are a few to try?

Go for a Basic Muffin Recipe that you can customize to your liking
Make Classic Blueberry Muffins or Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Try Easy Banana Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins or Banana Nut Muffins
Opt for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Classic Blueberry Muffins

Easy Banana Muffins

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Easy Chocolate Muffins

This Morning Glory muffins recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Morning Glory Muffins

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 12

Print Recipe

Description

Start your day with Morning Glory muffins! This recipe is packed with goodness: carrots, raisins, nuts, and warm spices.

Ingredients

1 cup [140 g] all-purpose flour
1 cup [140 g] whole wheat flour
½ cup [100 g] granulated sugar
½ cup [100 g] light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup canned pineapple (in juice), drained and chopped into small pieces
1 cup peeled and grated carrots (2 medium)
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped pecans, plus more for topping
2 eggs
½ cup applesauce
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk (or orange juice*)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: Coconut flakes, for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or add muffin cup papers.
In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, and kosher salt. Stir in the pineapple, carrots, raisins and chopped pecans.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the applesauce, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until a thick, smooth batter forms.
Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups: the cups will be full to the top. Sprinkle the tops with more chopped pecans and if desired, coconut flakes.
Bake the muffins for 20 to 23 minutes, until puffed and golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool fully, about 1 hour. Eat immediately or they taste even better the next day after storage in a sealed container at room temperature. Store up to 4 days in a sealed container at room temperature, refrigerated up to 1 week or more (allow to come to room temperature before serving), or frozen up to 3 months.

Notes

*Adding 1 teaspoon orange zest also brightens the flavor! Other mix in ideas: add ½ cup shredded coconut, use walnuts instead of pecans, or golden raisins instead of raisins.

Category: Muffin
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Breakfast
Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Morning glory muffins, morning glory muffin recipe, morning glory muffins recipe, morning glory muffin

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

This carrot cake baked oatmeal is everyone’s favorite cake, done up for breakfast! It’s a hearty way to start the…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This carrot cake baked oatmeal is everyone’s favorite cake, done up for breakfast! It’s a hearty way to start the day.

Carrot Cake Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Couple Cooks

Looking for a fun breakfast idea? Try carrot cake baked oatmeal! Here’s everyone’s favorite cake dressed up as a wholesome way to start the day. It’s cozy and comforting, flecked with orange carrots and flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Steel cut oats add heartiness, and it’s seriously simple to throw together and eat off a pan all week. This one’s a favorite of ours: especially in the spring! Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients in carrot cake baked oatmeal

This carrot cake baked oatmeal has a twist: it’s make with steel cut oats instead of rolled oats! It’s a spin on our favorite pumpkin pie baked oatmeal, with carrots and cozy spices instead. Best of all, it’s an idea brought to us by a reader, Heather! She let us know that she makes our pumpkin oatmeal all the time and she even created a few other “flavors”: one of which was carrot cake. We knew we needed to try it out, and it’s become a big favorite around here. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

Carrots
Raw steel cut oats (do not use rolled oats; see below
Olive oil
Egg
2% milk
Maple syrup
Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
Baking powder and salt
Pecan pieces

Steel cut oats vs rolled oats

This carrot cake baked oatmeal uses steel cut oats, not rolled oats. What’s the difference?

Steel cut oats are whole grain oats that are cut into nubs: the grains look like brown rice or barley.
Rolled oats are oat groats that are rolled through steel rollers: this gives them a flat shape and makes them much quicker to cook. Both varieties have very similar nutritional profiles: lots of protein and fiber to start your day! See Steel Cut vs Rolled Oats.
Don’t substitute rolled oats here! The recipe is designed for steel cut oats, so the liquid quantities and bake time don’t work for rolled oats.

It takes 1 hour, but leftovers save well

This carrot cake baked oatmeal takes 1 hour start to finish, but most of the time is hands off while the oatmeal bakes. However, the leftovers save well and make for a healthy breakfast recipe that lasts throughout the week. It saves well in the refrigerator, and you can eat it cold or room temp: no reheating necessary! If you’d like, you can heat it in the oven or microwave.

More carrot recipes

Got leftover carrots? Here are some more carrot recipes to use up a bunch!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes Warm spiced with the best cream cheese frosting!
Carrot Fries Full of flavor, these fries are completely irresistible covered in ranch seasoning.
Roasted Broccoli and Carrots This pair has the perfect flavor and color contrast, and they come out tender and browned.
Perfect Sauteed Carrots The perfect easy side dish, they’re made with just 3 ingredients and done in 10 minutes. Another method? Try them steamed.
Carrot Juice No juicer needed! It’s easy to whip up this delicious, nutrient filled drink in a blender.
Roasted Carrots or Roasted Carrots and Onions Bake until tender with lemon wedges and thyme.
Carrot Cake Pancakes Moist and spiced, a healthy spin that’s just sweet enough!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot Fries (Ranch Seasoned!)

Carrot Juice

Roasted Carrots

This carrot cake baked oatmeal recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For dairy-free, use almond milk.

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

Author: a Couple Cooks
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8

Print Recipe

Description

There’s nothing cozier than baked oatmeal! This baked steel cut oatmeal is carrot cake flavored, with cozy spices and pecans.

Ingredients

3 large carrots (1 ½ cups grated)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg (or flax egg for vegan)
2 cups 2% milk (or oat or almond milk)
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup raw steel cut oats (do not use rolled oats)
⅓ cup pecan pieces

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
Peel and finely grate the carrots, enough for 1 ½ cups.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, egg, milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder and kosher salt. Pour into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Stir in the steel cut oats.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, then mix in carrots and spread them around evenly. Cover the pan loosely with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then sprinkle with pecans. Bake another 30 to 35 minutes until set. Serve warm, or refrigerate and eat leftovers for several days. (Note: This baked steel cut oatmeal is best warm or room temperature. Leftovers store well and can be reheated. To make it ahead, you could bake the entire pan and reheat: or prepare the wets and dries separately and refrigerate overnight, keeping the carrots in a separate container, and then mix them and bake the next morning.)

Category: Breakfast
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Baked steel cut oatmeal, Baked Oatmeal, Steel Cut Oatmeal, Carrot Cake Oatmeal, Brunch Recipes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Hummingbird Cake

This luscious Hummingbird Cake is dotted with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, then smothered in cream cheese frosting- and it’s under $20!

The post Hummingbird Cake appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Hummingbird Cake doesn’t last- you’ll reach for a second slice before you finish your first! If you’ve never heard of it, this luscious banana cake is dotted with pineapple and pecans, then smothered in scrumptious cream cheese frosting. You’ll pay up to $80 for this beauty at a bakery, but I’m showing you how to make Hummingbird Cake for under $20! Here’s the best part: you can slice and freeze it, then gobble it up whenever you crave it!

What is Hummingbird Cake?

Hummingbird cake is a classic Southern recipe that originated in Jamaica. The batter goes heavy on the fruit and nuts; almost half of it is chopped banana, pineapple, and pecans. Once baked, the cake is layered and topped with buttery cream cheese frosting and garnished with more pecans or pineapple.

What You’ll Need

Is this an easy breezy recipe? No. But it’s manageable, and it’s worth it! Bakeries sell this cake for $50 to $80, but I’m showing you how to put it together for under $20! Here’s what you’ll need to make Hummingbird Cake.

Pecans – add texture and earthiness. You can omit them if there is a nut allergy.
Pineapple and Bananas– add sweetness and flavor. They also add moisture and tenderize the cake.
All Purpose Flour – creates the structure you need to stand up to all the fruit in the batter.
Sugar – sweetens the cake and locks in moisture.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder – these leavening agents help your cake rise.
Vegetable Oil – helps the cake bake evenly and rise higher.
Vanilla Extract – helps flavor the cake batter and the frosting.
Cream Cheese and Butter – add flavor and also give the frosting its structure, making it easier to spread.
Powdered Sugar – sweetens the frosting and gives the frosting structure.

Use very ripe bananas and don’t drain the crushed pineapple.
Do not overmix the batter. The more you mix, the denser the cake becomes.
Prepare your pans like a pro: grease them, line the bottom with parchment, and then grease and flour the parchment and the sides of the pan.
Pour equal amounts of batter into the cake pans by using a dry measuring cup.
Cool the layers completely before frosting them and frost from the center out.

Can I Make It Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can make your Hummingbird Cake layers ahead of time! Allow them to cool completely before wrapping them in a double layer of plastic wrap. You can keep them at room temperature for up to a day, refrigerate them for up to two days, or freeze them for up to a month. Frozen cake layers are easier to frost anyway. You can also make the frosting ahead of time. Keep it in an airtight container with plastic wrap over the surface of the frosting, and refrigerate for up to 5 days

How To Store Hummingbird Cake

You can store Hummingbird Cake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Your loved ones will devour it way before then.) Hummingbird Cake also freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in a double layer of foil and plastic for up to 4 months. I usually portion mine in thick slices and keep them in the freezer for future cravings. Frozen cake on a hot summer day is AMAZING.

Hummingbird Cake

This luscious Hummingbird Cake is dotted with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, then smothered in cream cheese frosting. It's scrumptious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost $15.90 recipe / $1.33 serving

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Resting Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours

Servings slices

Calories 1287kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes