Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing is full of fresh summer fruits and vegetables! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to click this link then picture me snapping and kick-ball changing my way into this post singing – mmmm oh-hh yeeaaaahh-eyeahhh, oh what a night. Oh yes it’s Friday night, and the feeling’s right. Oh yes it’s PIZZA night, oh what a night (ohhh, what a ni-ight!)

And if you can’t listen to that song without smiling nor bopping in your seat, then, well, you’re a robot. Just kidding!

So anyway, TGIF, y’all! As I’ve mentioned 1,001 times here on IGE, Friday night is pizza night at my house! Forever and always, Amen. Seriously, my family had the tradition growing up and Friday night’s dinner was one my brothers and I looked forward to all week long.

Monday: Spaghetti – fine, plus garlic bread was usually involved. Tuesday: Tacos – not mad about it. Wednesday: Enchiladas – pump the breaks. Thursday: Ham loaf – I’m having dinner at a friend’s house. Friday: PIZZA!!!

Ben and I have carried on this tradition and although we can’t order Godfather’s anymore (RIP Taco Pizza,) we make do with Pizza Quinoa Bites, Pizza Skins, and the occasional gluten-free pizza from a small, local pizza shop. Lately we’ve stopped doing the latter because, although they offer gluten-free crusts, they don’t keep separate prep spaces and ingredients just for gluten-free pizzas so cross contamination is inevitable. Getting glutened is definitely one way to ruin a Friday night. So is running out of wine. #thehorror

All is not lost, however, because there’s a new option in town – Freschetta Gluten-Free Pizza (which I’m giving away at the end of this post!) Guys? This stuff is so good that Ben ate all the pizzas they sent me and I had to ask for more. I am not kidding. Embarrassing? Yes. But also proof as to how good it is!

Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing is full of fresh summer fruits and vegetables!

Freschetta, who is sponsoring this post and giveaway at the end of the post, sent me a few of their frozen gluten-free pizzas to try (twice,) and I adore them. I have yet to try a frozen gluten-free pizza that doesn’t taste a little…off. This one is indistinguishable from it’s gluten-filled frozen counterparts though. It’s so dang good!

The pizzas come in full and personal sizes, pepperoni and cheese flavors, and are certified by the Celiac Support Association which means you can #TrustTheCrust. I do and I did and I loved it. And you will too.

Even if you don’t need to eat gluten-free, how happy would a friend who family member who does feel if they came over to hang out this weekend and you pulled one of these babies out of your freezer?! I’d probably cry. Then lunge for the box.

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But back to pizza night! One thing my Mom did every night of the week, including pizza night, was serve a fresh salad with dinner, and I usually follow suit. Which is why I created this Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing to go along with my gluten-free pizza!

Fresh baby spinach is tossed with dried cherries, sweet corn, sliced almonds, red onions, crumbled blue cheese, and a homemade Lemon Poppyseed dressing that’s equal parts sweet, tart, and fabulous, and highlights the fresh and crunchy toppings. It’s the perfect salad for summer – light and full of color and flavor – and can be assembled in the time it takes to bake the pizza which means dinner will be on the table in just 15 minutes!

Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing is full of fresh summer fruits and vegetables!

Start with the pizza! Like I said, you can get the Freschetta Gluten-Free pizzas in either cheese or pepperoni, full or personal size. I prefer the full size because, well, what Bill Murray said.

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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees then slide the pizza on a pan in to crisp up. I will say the pizza took less time than the box indicated. Mine only took around 10 minutes.

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While the pizza’s cooking, prepare the salad. To a bowl add 5oz baby spinach (this is one of those medium-sized clamshells at the store.)

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Then add 1/2 cup dried cherries, which I love for their sweet chewinesss.

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2oz crumbled blue cheese (or chevre or feta if you’re not feeling the blue!)

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1/2 cup sliced almonds. 

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And 3/4 cup sweet corn. I sliced this from a cob, and prefer raw corn as it’s got an irresistible sweet snap, but you could use frozen –> thawed sweet corn, too!

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Finally add 1/4 cup chopped red onion. 

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Next shake up a homemade Lemon Poppyseed Dressing – that’s just fresh lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, shallots, salt, and poppy seeds – then drizzle on top. This dressing is phenomenal, by the way. Perfectly sweet, tart, and savory!

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Toss the salad to coat, slice up your pizza, then serve it on up! Hope you enjoy!

Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing is full of fresh summer fruits and vegetables! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Description

Summer Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing is full of fresh summer fruits and vegetables with a snappy, sweet-tart dressing!

Ingredients

serves 4-6 as a side

  • 5oz baby spinach
  • 3/4 cup sweet corn
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 2oz blue cheese, crumbled (could use feta or chevre)
  • For the Lemon Poppyseed Dressing:
    • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
    • 2 teaspoons minced shallots
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Combine ingredients for Lemon Poppseed Dressing in a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake to combine. Add remaining ingredients in a large salad bowl then drizzle on dressing and toss to coat.

Notes

Dressing adapted from AllRecipes.com

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Photo collage of summer spinach salad

 

Freschetta Giveaway (CLOSED)

Freschetta wants you to #TrustTheCrust too, and is giving away the following to one IGE reader:

  • Free Freschetta pizza coupons
  • Bamboo pizza cutter
  • Pizza grilling tray
  • Pizza seasoning
  • Apron and set of matching oven mitts
  • More!

Enter to win by using the widget below, by 6/12 at 12am CT. Good luck!