Kale and Strawberry Salad with Creamy Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

I've been making this salad for a while now. It's my go-to lunch during the week. It's super filling and full of yummy goodies. Kale is all the trend these days, and I'm definitely jumping on board with this one. 

I just make a huge bowl of this salad and separate it into different tupperware containers for the week. If you decide to make this for lunch, be sure not to add the dressing until right before you eat it. 

The hearty kale is topped with sweet strawberries and crunchy almonds. I love the added crunch from the sunflower seeds too. The tangy goat cheese and creamy dressing is the perfect contrast of flavors. You can completely customize this recipe to suit your taste buds. Sometimes I substitute feta cheese for the goat cheese, dried cranberries for the fresh strawberries, and pecans for the almonds. It's totally up to you. 

The dressing is also super simple. I literally just put all of the ingredients into a jar and shake it all up. It only takes like 2 minutes to make! No more store bought dressing for me...this one is simple, light, refreshing and so much better for you. Enjoy! :)

Kale and Strawberry Salad with a Creamy Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the salad:
3 cups chopped kale, stems removed

1 cup mixed greens
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds, hulled
1/4 cup goat cheese

For the Creamy Citrus Balsamic Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp non fat, plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Put the kale and mixed greens in a large bowl.
2. Add the strawberries, sunflower seeds, almonds, and goat cheese. Toss gently.
3. In a small mason jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, honey, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake until mixed well.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve.

Strawberry Tart

I don't usually buy strawberries this early in the year but Publix was having an awesome deal the other day, so I couldn't resist...3 for $5 is a steal!

I've been wanting to use my new tart pan so when these beautiful strawberries came along it wasn't difficult to decide what to make! Ever since I saw this strawberry cream cheese tart on Pinterest I knew I had to try it out.

This tart is sweet, fresh and satisfying. It's the perfect blend of berries, smooth cream cheese and a hint of chocolate. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner... and maybe for a snack too!

If you're a fan of strawberries like me, you might also want to check out my Strawberry Cupcakes, Strawberry Basil Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake, or Strawberries and Cream Bars.

ENJOY! :)

Strawberry Tart

Ingeredients:
1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust

1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp butter

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, quartered

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch tart pan. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and butter. Melt for 10 second intervals and stir until smooth. Spread chocolate in bottom of cooled baked shell. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• In small bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add in vanilla and lemon zest and combine. Carefully spread over chocolate layer in shell.
• Place strawberries evenly over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Strawberries and Cream Bars

These bars are pretty amazing. There are some things that just scream summertime and these bars are one of them. Breakfast? Dessert? Either way, you can't go wrong! 

You start with a soft and chewy cookie crust...topped with smooth cream cheese with a hint of vanilla...then sweet and juicy strawberries with an extra layer of cookie goodness! 

SO. GOOD.

 

Strawberries and Cream Bars

Recipe adapted from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla cake mix

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs

3 cups strawberries, sliced

8 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl combine butter, one egg and cake mix until dough forms. Set aside 1 cup of the dough mixture for the topping.
• Using your hands, press the remaining dough mixture in the bottom of the pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, slice the strawberries into approx 1/4 inch slices.
• In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and remaining egg until smooth.
• Spread cream cheese over the partially baked crust and arrange the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese mixture. Break up the rest of the reserved dough mixture and sprinkle over the top.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until center is set and crumbs on top turn golden brown.
• Cool completely and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Basil Cake

Last weekend we went to the first annual "Love & Homegrown Tomatoes" at the Community Gardens of Henry. My parents are avid gardeners and insisted we come along. They have been involved with their community garden for quite a while. The fundraiser included tours of Wesley Way Gardens, music, booths, a silent auction, door prizes, and a good ole' tomato sandwich buffet! Nothing truly defines summer in the south than a tomato sandwich and big glass of sweet tea! 

The Helping Harvests are specifically for growing fresh produce for donation to local non-profits and food pantries. More than 16,000 pounds of fresh produce has already been donated since they began! Proceeds from the fundraiser will help them sustain and expand the Helping Harvests and their five community gardens.

Now, what does this have to do with strawberry cake??

At the fundraiser there was a booth called Dani Jamz and she was selling this delicious homemade strawberry basil jam. As soon as I tasted it I knew I wanted to make a cake with it!

And so here we are...

I used my new "go-to" cake recipe with Greek yogurt and it turned out just perfect. I was a bit unsure as to how it would taste with a yellow cake mix, but it was just as good as the chocolate!

The cake was moist and perfect and the frosting was so light and yummy! It’s like strawberry shortcake, but better. I just can’t say enough about this recipe, and the strawberry basil jam adds the perfect touch!

This is seriously the BEST. STRAWBERRY. CAKE. EVER.
It is sooo insanely delicious!

Strawberry Basil Cake
Ingredients:

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup Greek yogurt, non-fat

1 cup water 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tub Cool Whip
6 tbsp strawberry basil jam (you can use regular strawberry jam instead)

1 1/2 lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 3 cups), divided

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cake mix, Greek yogurt, vanilla, and water. Pour batter evenly into to two greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Cool completely. (I put mine in the freezer for about 20 minutes to speed up the process!)

In a separate mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in vanilla. Fold whipped cream into frosting. Cover; chill for about 30 minutes.

Place the first cake layer onto a plate.
Spread 2 tbsp of strawberry jam over the cake, then spread 1/2 of the frosting over the jam. Arrange 1/2 of the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting in a single layer. Repeat with the second cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Bakin Without Eggs by Rosemarie Emro 
Makes 12 to 16 servings

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted1 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon



For the filling:
1 (8-ounce) package regular cream cheese, room temperature
2 (8-ounce) packages low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 pint (16 ounces) light sour cream


For the Topping:
1-1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup sugar (more or less to taste)

To prepare crust: In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter or margarine, cinnamon, and sugar; blend well. Press into bottom of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Put foil around bottom of pan so it does not drip. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

To prepare filling: In a large bowl, with a handheld electric mixer set on medium speed, beat cream cheese, condensed milk, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon rind (if used), and vanilla. Beat until smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Add sour cream; blend well. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour on center rack. Knife inserted in outer side of cake should come out clean when cake is done. Middle will still be creamy.

Turn off oven and open door; let cake sit in oven for another 2 to 3 hours to cool slowly.

Remove from oven after it is cooled, loosen sides of pan with a knife, and remove sides of pan. Place on a plate and allow to cool completely at room temperature before placing it in refrigerator (so it does not create condensation) covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a couple of hours
before serving.
Variations: For a slightly thicker cheesecake use 4 (8-ounce) bars of light or regular cream cheese and one cup (8 ounces) sour cream instead of 16 ounces of sour cream. Or, for a softer cake, use 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch. Either way your cheesecake will turn out scrumptious! 


Topping:
Gently rinse strawberries with cold water and allow them to drain well. Slice and place in a saucepan. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, lemon juice and water together and stir until all the cornstarch is dissolved. Add this mixture to the strawberries in the saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook until sauce thickens and is translucent. At the end of the cooking time, add half of the sugar. Taste the sauce, and if desired, add the rest of the sugar. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Allow topping to cool and then serve over the cheesecake.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I got a hankering for cupcakes while watching Cupcake Wars on Food Network the other day. One of the contestants made a strawberry cupcake that looked amazing! Once I have a recipe in my head I am bound and determined to make it. I only made 12 cupcakes and used the rest of the batter to make a small cake. Enjoy! :)

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Cupcakes:

• 1 white cake mix
• 1 (3 oz) box of strawberry gelatin
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup of frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs

Frosting: 

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

*Sliced strawberries for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with 12 cupcake liners.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cake mix, gelatin, oil, 1/2 cup of the strawberries, and water until combined.  Then beat in the eggs 1 at a time until well incorporated.
3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with batter, do not over fill.  With the extra batter fill an 8 inch cake pan that has been greased and floured.
4. Bake at 350 for about 21 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool.
5. Place the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract in a bowl and using a mixer beat until smooth.
6. Add half the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture and beat until all combined and fluffy. 
7. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar until combined and fluffy.  Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Top with strawberry slices.

*I used the remaining cream cheese frosting on top of the mini cake. I cut the strawberries length wise and placed them around the top of the cake.