March 2022 · Jess in the Kitchen

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Jess

Salads are life. I live for a good salad and have been known on more than one occasion to choose a restaurant based on how good of a side salad they have (better yet if they have a salad bar). I use to feel guilty spending the extra money to upgrade to a salad over fries, but now I realize I am worth it darn it! And if that’s what I want, I can spend the extra $3 to upgrade, right? Funny thing, I realized I don’t share too many salads here. But this Simple Spinach and Blueberry Salad is so full of color and flavor, it has to be shared.

I am known for “eating the rainbow” and strive to get alllllll the colors in my meals. My colleagues may make fun of me from time to time for my lunches that represent every food group: grapes, carrots, string cheese, a protein, and a starch that has an additional veggie or two added in. This salad is no different. We have the deep green of the spinach, the blue from the berries, crimson in the cranberries, some whites and browns in the feta and almonds, and finally a drizzle of poppyseed dressing. It’s perfection.

Ready to mix up this beautiful salad? Let’s go!

Your Ingredients

1 package pre-washed spinach
½ pint bluebarries
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup feta, broken apart as needed
Poppyseed dressing, to taste (I have a clean eating version of poppyseed dressing that can be found here)

Your directions to Simple Spinach and Blueberry Salad

In a large bowl, layer spinach, blueberries, cranberries, almonds, and feta. Drizzle with poppyseed dressing, go light initially (You can always add more, but an overdressed salad? You can’t do anything about that!) Feel free to toss after drizzling dressing to distribute the dressing or leave it perfectly layered.

Also, note, the measurements are approximations. The great thing about this (and most) salads is that it’s totally customizable to your own liking. You can add more blueberries. Leave off the feta. Do what calls to you, but use this as some inspiration for your next salad!

Simple Spinach and Blueberry Salad

This simple spinach and blueberry salad is full of color and flavor and mixes up in minutes flat!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings

Ingredients

1 package pre-washed spinach
½ pint bluebarries
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup feta broken apart as needed
Poppyseed dressing to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, layer spinach, blueberries, cranberries, almonds, and feta.
Drizzle with poppyseed dressing, go light initially.
Feel free to toss after drizzling dressing to distribute the dressing or leave it perfectly layered.

Notes

The measurements are approximations. The great thing about this (and most) salads is that it’s totally customizable to your own liking. You can add more blueberries. Leave off the feta. Do what calls to you, but use this as some inspriation for your next salad!

Keyword blueberries, feta salad, poppyseed dressing, Salad, side dishes, spinach salad

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for some other recipes to pair this delightful salad with? Check out the links below!

Last Updated on March 5, 2022 by Jess

I love cookies. I generally try to be a healthy, nutrient dense eater. All the vegetables. I adore a good salad and chicken with quinoa. But cookies? They are a bit of a weakness for me. Bring on the butter. The chocolate chips. The vanilla. I love all of it. But I was looking through my past blog posts and realized for a self-proclaimed cookie lover, I hadn’t created or posted a cookie recipe for some time. I immediately dug through my cupboards and found some fun ingredients to pull together a new cookie recipe. I am so excited to introduce you to my double chocolate and toasted coconut cookies. As soon as I was done baking, I shared them with my colleagues and the reviews were great!

“I would eat a lot more of those!”

“Wow Jess! You just came up with recipe?! On your own?!”

“Oh wow. They have the texture of a chocolate chip cookie but such a wonderful flavor”

I hope you enjoy this twist on a chocolate chip cookie as much as we all did. I mean my daughter asked if she could try one and before I realized it, she had eaten four! Sounds like a cookie you need to give a try, right?

Your Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt (kosher salt is great if you like salty sweet!)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut
½ cup chocolate chips

Your Steps to Double Chocolate and Toasted Coconut Cookies

To toast coconut, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add coconut and toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until just browned. Remove from heat and stir a few additional times to prevent burning.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugars and combine until very light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix well.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the cooled toasted coconut and chocolate chips. For best results, chill the dough for 30 minutes (But I get it if you skip it, it’s hard to wait!)

Place dough by the tablespoonful on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before placing on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Looking for other tasty Treats?

Check out the links below! I’ve got a soup, a full meal, and bread to match! How great right?

Double Chocolate and Toasted Coconut Cookies

Almond extract, toasted coconut, and cocoa powder combine in these delicious double chocolate and toasted coconut cookies!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Chill TIme 30

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings dozen

Equipment

baking sheets

Ingredients

½ cup butter softened
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut
½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

To toast coconut, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add coconut and toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until just browned. Remove from heat and stir a few additional times to prevent burning.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugars and combine until very light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix well.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the cooled toasted coconut and chocolate chips. For best results, chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Place dough by the tablespoonful on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before placing on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Keyword chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cookies, coconut, Cookies

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!