This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Marzetti® Brand for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Berry Feta Salad with Dijon Champagne Dressing

Strawberry, blueberry and raspberry salad with shredded green lettuce, diced green apples, cucumbers, pecans and crumbled feta cheese.  Tossed with cracked black pepper and Marzetti® Vineyard Dressing Dijon Champagne.  Serve as a side dish for potlucks, BBQ’s, holidays or as an appetizer.

There is something about salad that is naturally satisfying, enriching and comforting. It’s no wonder because salad is the perfect dish for versatility and this salad is no different.  To keep salads fun and tasteful, I like to pair the dressing with fruit and leafy greens for the ultimate salad bowl.

Over the past two weeks, Louisiana has been weathering a rainstorm that has drenched the south with water.  With the torrential downpour of rain, it has left me longing for summer days again.  Luckily, Mother Nature let up for a day or two so I could head out to a local farm and get fresh produce for the week.

Sadly, I’ve attempted to start my own garden like a dozen times, but as far as I know, those fruits and veggies don’t like me.  Maybe it’s because I over water the garden in an effort to keep the hot sun from drying out the soil or maybe it’s the humidity that’s new to me because let’s face it, the Midwest stays pretty cold and dry.  Either way, I’m grateful for the local product here because salads are my life for the next 8 months while I stay shaded in an air-conditioned house.

Since those next 8 months are all about light and refreshing salads to keep cool, I like to think I’m better at creating different salad varieties than growing my own produce!

 Almost all of my salad creations happen the same way.  It starts with stocking up on fresh produce that will pair well with the dressing I have on hand.  For me, salads always start with a leafy green vegetable.  Whether it’s lettuce, arugula, spinach, kale or cabbage, it will provide a good structure to the dish.

 Leafy green vegetables pair great with Marzetti® Vineyard Dressing.  Also, I highly recommend getting creative and experimenting with added fruit because the robust flavor of a variety of Marzetti® Vineyard Dressings embody and bring out the flavors of fruit.

 There are six available flavors: Asiago Peppercorn Chardonnay, Balsamic Cabernet, Citrus Pinot Noir, Dijon Champagne, Garlic & Herb Chardonnay and Mixed Berry Merlot.  Any of these dressings will compliment vegetables in a dish. There are 60-80 calories per serving in each dressing which make it the perfect dressing to top any salad with.

The Berry Feta Salad here is drizzled with Marzetti® Vineyard Dressing Dijon Champagne which lends a sharp and tangy flavor which compliments the sweet taste of fruit, buttery pecans, crispy lettuce and thirst quenching cucumbers and apples.  The tangy vineyard inspired flavor makes this dressing great to pair with fruit, vegetables, nuts and cheese.  The refrigerated dressing can be found in the produce section of the grocery store.  Visit Vineyard Dressing product locator to find a location near you.

As a foodie, I love to mix and match Marzetti® Vineyard Dressing with a variety of fresh produce to create the ultimate salad bowl.  One of the best ways to do this is to play off the fresh flavors of each dressing.  The flavor notes in each bottle of dressing are what help to create the perfect salad and compliment the dish by bringing out the flavors of the salad.

While I slice fruit and chop vegetables on a wood chopping block in the kitchen, I choose a few of my favorite fruit and vegetable combinations to try in a new salad.  It works great to then pair cheese, nuts and leafy green vegetables with the flavor profile of salad dressing.

The combination of sweet fruit and tangy dressing is refreshing and it adds a boost of flavor to the dish that everyone will love.  Summer fruit like strawberries and raspberries are great salad ingredients.  Sweet and sharp, light but a bit more substantial than a plain green salad, yet perhaps a bit more interesting than the typical lettuce, tomato and avocado salad.

This recipes screams summer in a bowl.  What are some of your go-to salad bowl creations?

Berry Feta Salad with Dijon Champagne Dressing

Strawberry, blueberry and raspberry salad with shredded green lettuce, diced green apples, cucumbers, pecans and crumbled feta cheese. Tossed with cracked black pepper and Dijon Champagne Dressing. Serve for potlucks, BBQ's, holidays or as a side dish or appetizer.

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Course: Appetizer

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 3

Author: Jessica (swankyrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 green apple (, sliced)
• 3/4 cup strawberries (, sliced)
• 1 cucumber (, diced)
• 1 bunch green lettuce (, shredded)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup Marzetti® Vineyard Dressing Dijon Champagne

Instructions

• Wash lettuce and shred into ribbons with a knife. Slice strawberries, cucumber, apple and pecans. Combine everything together in a large bowl and toss with Dijon Champagne Dressing.