Nothing screams “Summer is almost here!” like red, ripe, juicy strawberries. (Side note: This reminds me of one of my sons’ favorite childhood storybooks, The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear. If you have toddlers in your life and like to read aloud to them, this is a fun one!) But back to the issue at hand…
Aside from popping those freshly picked berries right into my mouth, or eating Mom’s strawberry short cake for dinner (yes, this is a thing–and there’s a healthy gluten-free option, too!), a good strawberry salad ranks high on my list of seasonal must-haves.
Loaded with wholesome greens, berries, and a few other choice ingredients, this spring and summer favorite is so much more than the sum of its simple parts. Until recently, I bounced back and forth between this creamy dressing and this vinaigrette. Both are delicious, but I wanted an option (and a few readers have asked for one) that was naturally sweetened. And for those who aren’t in the mayonnaise camp, this recipe mayo-free recipe has your name on it!
Yield: approximately 2/3 cup
- 1/3 cup (800g) low-fat plain Greek yogurt*
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar (white balsamic vinegar is a delicious option)
- 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
- 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
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Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
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The dressing will keep for approximately one week.
- I often use low-fat (2%) but have used fat-free and whole milk yogurt as well. You may prefer a touch more honey when using fat-free yogurt and a touch less when using whole milk. My goal is to use just enough honey to leave a hint of tartness. As always, feel free to tweak according to preferred level of sweetness.
The icing on the cake of your favorite strawberry salad, this lightened-up dressing is equally divine on a peach variation later in the summer. And stay tuned for a crunchy slaw recipe that doubles as a complete meal.
