Music for your Mouth: Chuck Berry

You Chuck the Berry in the salad and what do you get? Strawberry salad, duhh.

Um hello! Day 7: Week 1 of MoFo complete! I can’t believe I’ve managed a post every day, it’s pretty crazy. I’ve been loving reading everybody’s posts, I’m about one quarter of my way though the blogroll – I’m trying to visit every blog by the end of the month. I’ve already found some killer blogs and met some great new people. Yay MoFo!

Onto the food! – This is a lovely side dish, and a winner to take to a barbecue or potluck. With juicy red berries and zesty cashew cheese, I reckon it just screams summer (even though we’re not quite there yet!)

Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Cashew Cheese

Salad:
3 tightly packed cups of baby spinach
1 1/2 cups strawberries, quartered
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Cashew Cheese:
1 cup cashews, soaked
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp water
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

First, prepare the cashew cheese. Place cashews in blender or food processor and blend until they resemble coarse crumbs. Add remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency. It’s nice to make it super creamy, but to chuck in salads, I like it to be a bit chunky/pasty. If you want it smoother, just add a little more liquid.

Put all salad ingredients in a bowl. Take blobs of cashew cheese and toss through salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

I wasn’t going to put Johnny B-Goode up, because it’s the obvious choice – but then I went to listen to it and he just rips right in with that opening riff and how could you not? So GOOD!