Low-carb strawberry and spinach salad with caramelised pecans

Low-carb strawberry and spinach salad with caramelised pecans: fresh baby spinach, deep red strawberries, Greek feta and a balsamic dressing with olive oil.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 5 min
• Total time: 20 min
• Calories: 340 kcal per serving
• Protein: 8 g
• Fat: 28 g
• Carbs: 16 g

Ingredients

• 150g baby spinach
• 250g deep red strawberries
• 100g genuine Greek feta
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp dark maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 handful of pecan halves
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · chopping board · knife · mixing bowl · spatula

1. Toast the pecans in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Add the maple syrup or honey, toss briefly and leave to cool on baking paper.
2. Wash the baby spinach thoroughly and dry it very well. Hull the strawberries and cut them into thickish slices.
3. For the dressing, whisk the olive oil, dark balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard until slightly creamy. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and black pepper.
4. Put the baby spinach into a large bowl and scatter the strawberries on top. Crumble the feta over in rough pieces.
5. Roughly chop the caramelised pecans and sprinkle them over the salad. That way each element stays distinct and the salad keeps its crunch.
6. Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and enjoy straight away.

Good to know

This salad tastes of summer without being run-of-the-mill. Sweet, salty and fresh meet at exactly the right moment. I particularly like how elegant it looks while staying so simple.

Swaps

Maple syrup (or honey) → mashed raspberries or 1–2 tsp pomegranate reduction made from juice only (less sugar; the fruity acidity suits strawberries and feta) Genuine Greek feta → soft goat's cheese or organic sheep's cheese (often a little creamier, full of flavour) Dark balsamic vinegar → freshly squeezed lemon juice or white wine vinegar (usually less sugar, fresh flavour) Caramelised pecans → dry-toasted walnuts or macadamias (no extra sweetness, more bite, mainly unsaturated fats)

Allergens

Contains milk (feta), tree nuts (pecans) and mustard (Dijon mustard). Generally suitable for children – chop the nuts finely to avoid choking, and no honey for babies under one. In pregnancy, use feta made from pasteurised milk.

Frequently asked questions

What's in strawberries, nutritionally?

Strawberries mainly provide vitamin C, plus manganese and smaller amounts of folate. They also contain polyphenols such as anthocyanins, which help give them their intense colour.

Does raw spinach suit everyone?

Not everyone – some people are sensitive to larger amounts of raw spinach. That can be down to the fibre; if you're sensitive, start with smaller portions.

What do pecans add to this salad besides crunch?

Pecans contain unsaturated fats, vitamin E, magnesium and some zinc. They also provide fibre, though the exact amounts vary slightly with variety and processing.

How does genuine Greek feta differ from other white cheeses?

Feta is a traditionally made cheese from sheep's milk, or a mix of sheep's and goat's milk. It provides calcium and some vitamin B12, but also a noticeable amount of salt.

Honey or maple syrup – which is better for the salad?

Both sweeten mainly with sugar; the difference is bigger in flavour than in nutrition. Maple syrup contains small amounts of minerals such as manganese, and honey, depending on the type, tiny amounts of plant compounds – but overall these amounts are small.