Strawberry Pecan Salad with Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette

What better way to welcome summer than with this simple salad that is dressed with a delicious vinaigrette. Strawberries - the perfect food for women, - are low in calories and high in iron and vitamin C. Strawberries are also a good source of folic acid, fibre, potassium, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Combine these with green leafy salad mix and you have everything you need for an antiaging health boost.

For the vinaigrette, use a good quality red wine vinegar, as it is important for flavour. Even this ingredient provides heart healthy resveratrol, a red pigment shown to promote cardiovascular health. You can make your own red wine vinegar by opening a bottle of red wine, enjoying a glass or two, and then allowing it to sit for a few days on the counter. The wine will gradually oxidize into delicious red wine vinegar.

Salad:
6 cups (1.5 L) fresh salad mix
1 1/2 cups (385 mL) fresh strawberries, halved
1 1/2 cups (385 ml) pecan pieces

Vinaigrette:
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) honey
1/4 tsp (1 mL) dry mustard
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) minced onion
1 cup (250 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (75 mL) red wine vinegar

Mix salad greens and halved strawberries in large salad bowl. Top with pecans and sweet red wine vinaigrette. Serves 12.

source: "Nutrient-Rich Recipes", alive #273, July 2005