Last night I had the pleasure of presenting at the Salt Lake Home Show and the theme of my demo was ‘The Lighter Side: Your Guilty Favorites Made Guilt Free’. I had the best time and really enjoyed myself. There’s just something about cooking in front of a live audience that is so much fun for me. I love cooking for others and sharing yummy recipes, I was able to do both! I made three courses and started with this delicious Zupas Nuts About Berries Salad Copycat made healthier! I know what you’re thinking.. ‘salad isn’t a guilty favorite’. OK. Well, it can be. Have you ever looked up the sugar content in those salad dressings? Trust me, most salads aren’t exactly as healthy as you THINK they are. Plus, candied nuts on top?
So how did I make this a healthier version of the popular favorite? I’m beyond excited to share this recipe with you! First of all, can we just take a moment to marvel at how insanely gorgeous this is? Takes my breath away! I’ll be honest with you though, I don’t really like berries {gasp!]. I pretty much only like strawberries in fact. I have a hard time with seeds. It’s weird. I know. Anyway, back to why this salad is 100% guilt free! I did not use one stitch of white sugar anywhere. Not on the almonds, and not even in the dressing. Trust. This is SO delicious! I candied the almond slices in coconut oil and maple syrup. Divine. I swapped the sugar in the poppyseed dressing for honey. Amazing. Stop drooling over your keyboard and make this salad IMMEDIATELY!
Healthier Zupas Nuts About Berries Salad Copycat
This Nuts About Berries Salad Copycat will allow you to ditch the sugar coated almonds and sugary poppyseed dressing and fall in love with this healthier version.
Ingredients
Salad
- Fresh spinach
- Fresh strawberries quartered
- Fresh blackberries
- Fresh raspberries
Maple Candied Almonds
- 1 tbsp. unrefined coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 c. sliced almonds
Poppyseed dressing
- 3 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp. milk of choice
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Instructions
-
Wash spinach (unless it's pre-washed) and berries and set aside.
-
In a skillet over medium-low heat, melt coconut oil . Add maple syrup and vanilla; stir well. When bubbling, add almonds and stir to coat evenly. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes, being careful to not burn them. Remove pan from heat and transfer almonds onto wax or parchment paper to cool. Cool completely before adding to salad.
-
For the salad dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl whisk until smooth. Top spinach and berries with maple candied almonds and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp. poppyseed dressing.
Recipe Notes
Extra almonds can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week. Almond recipe slightly adapted from Feel Great in 8: http://www.feelgreatin8.com/feelgreatblog/candied-almonds/
Poppyseed dressing slightly adapted from Cooking Light: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-salad-with-poppy-seed-dressing
Adapted from I Heart Naptime
Here are a few more Healthy Salad ideas:
Healthy Cashew Chicken Salad // Tried and Tasty
Very Berry Salad with Honey Sweetened Raspberry Vinaigrette // Tried and Tasty
Healthy Taco Salad with Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing // Tried and Tasty
Tasty Broccoli Salad with Dried Cranberries // Tried and Tasty
tiffany
This was delicious. I would love a print button!
Yvonne
There’s a print option on my recipe card? Hopefully you can get this printed – such a great recipe!
familyroom2
Hi Yvonne, this salad looks so scrumptious. I can never resist berries and their bright colors and flavors. Thanks for sharing on Weekend Bites, I’m featuring this on today’s party!
Yvonne
What?! No way – thank you so much! That makes me so happy! I’m with you on the bright colors and flavors.. TOO YUMMY!
Deb Attinella
Thanks Yvonne for sharing with us at BOTW – I’ll be featuring tonight!
Yvonne
Oh wow, thank you so much! So happy you loved the recipe as much as I do!
Love this recipe. Healthy and delicious! Thank you very much for joining in the celebration of #purebloglove, we enjoy having you each week. I hope to see you on Thursday at 8PM, EST through Sunday night. ~Cydnee
Yvonne
Oh it is SO good – thanks for coming to check it out!
Yum! I love poppy seed dressing and it looks like the perfect partner for that salad! I love all the recipes you’ve shown. No excuses for a boring lunch now! Thank you so much for sharing at This Is How We Roll Thursday. I hope you come back and share more of your delicious recipes.
Yvonne
Oh it most definitely is!
I’m loving this, I think I know what I’ll be having for lunch tomorrow.
Looks so beautiful.
Yvonne
Awesome! Let me know what you think!
This fruit salad looks amazingly yummy. Pinning it!
Yvonne
Awesome – thank you!
Hello beautiful! I’m stopping by to let you know that Cassie chose your Zupa’s copycat salad as her favorite. We will be featuring it at our party tonight at 7. Thank you for bringing such an amazing project to our party. Lou Lou Girls
Yvonne
So awesome, thank you so much! Look forward to seeing the feature!
createwithjoy
Yvonne, thanks so much for sharing these wonderful recipes at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy! I have “pocketed” your article for future reference – and I’m delighted to include you among our Featured Guests at this week’s party #166!
Have a blessed week!
Yvonne
Thank you for featuring me!
Yvonne this had my mouth watering just pinned and must try! Thanks for sharing :)
Yvonne
Awesome, it’s so delicious – I hope you’ll give it a try!
This looks absolutely amazing. I will pin it so that I could try it out later :)
Yvonne
Awesome, it’s divine – you will love it!
This looks so healthy, fresh and delicious! And your photos are amazing!
Yvonne
Thank you so much Michele, that is so kind! It is definitely healthy AND fresh!
This looks delicious! I always make my own dressings. This one sounds great! Must try!
Yvonne
Homemade dressing is the best! Let me know if you give this a try!
Rachael Yerkes @ Eazy Peazy Mealz
Your pictures are so pretty, and you are right…so much sugar in those dressings. I bet you killed it at the home show, can’t wait to present after you at the next one!
Yvonne
Thanks Rachael, I loved this shoot! SO much dang sugar – that’s why they are so dang yummy and addicting!!!! Home show was AWESOME! Excited for you in March too – yay!
That is one gorgeous salad! I just love berries!
Yvonne
Isn’t it though??! *I swoon*
I love every ingredient in this recipe! Gorgeous photos indeed!!
Yvonne
Yay! Such a perfect salad!! Thank you so much for the compliments!
eglover0616
This looks delicious! I’m always looking for new salad recipes for my husbands lunch!
Yvonne
I don’t know your husband, but I can almost guarantee he would love this – it’s so delicious!
sevenalive7
Yum, yum! I love berries in my salad. I’m going to to have to try this recipe for the dressing though, I don’t ever make my own dressing…..
Yvonne
Homemade dressing is so simple, you’ll love how easy it is to put together!
This salad looks so fresh & bright! I just love the berries in this! :)
Yvonne
Thanks Carrie! The berries seem to be everyones favorite addition!
Great looking salad and dressing! Those almonds sound to die for!
Yvonne
Oh my word. The almonds. Oh mercy, if nothing else, you’ve AT LEAST got to try the almonds!!
savoryexperiments
Oh wow this looks amazing! I love all of the colors!
Yvonne
Thank you!! Aren’t they just stunning?!?
Britney
This sounds so yummy! I love it! BTW, what plugin do you use for your recipes? I love the layout of it!
Yvonne
It’s so delicious! I use Recipe Card by Yumprint! I love the layout too!
Jillian {Food Folks and Fun}
I love a good copycat recipe, and this looks delicious! Bonus that you made it healthier!
Yvonne
There’s nothing better than being able to make your restaurant favorites right at home!!
This salad looks so amazing! I LOVE berries in my salad! I am sure you were amazing at the home show!
Yvonne
Thanks Debra! I had such a blast, one of my favorite events to date for sure!! You are sweet :)
This looks incredibly delicious! I wish I would have stopped by to see you at the home show this weekend! Next time. This one is going on my list. I love my spinach salads, but I need to spice it up with this recipe. Looks amazing!
Yvonne
Add this recipe your your rotation: STAT!!! You will LOVE it! You’ll have to come by and see me for sure next time, I’ll be there in March!
This salad is gorgeous! I need to try that dressing recipe, i love poppyseed dressing.
Yvonne
If you love poppyseed, you’ll love this guilt-free version! So much better for you!
valeriebrunmeier
I could SO dig into that salad right now. Poppyseed dressing goes so well with fruit – it sounds perfect! You are a brave woman to present to a crowd.
Yvonne
Poppyseed dressing & fruit really is a match made in heaven, you are absolutely right! I’m nervous for just about a moment presenting.. and then I feel right at home!
I’m not familiar with this salad, but it looks amazing! Absolutely beautiful photos Yvonne!
Yvonne
Thanks Renee, you are so sweet!
What an incredible salad! I’ve never tried the original, but I know I’d love this copycat!
Yvonne
I dare say this version is BETTER than the original, but I may be biased ;)
This is my favorite salad from Zupas! That dressing looks amazing! Oh and berries always make me happy!
Yvonne
Doesn’t it look great?! Well just IMAGINE how awesome it tastes!!!
I was excited when I saw the nuts and berries on facebook, but then I pop on over and see the lovely dressing! oh this looks divine :)
Stephanie Keeping
This would make a perfect healthy afternoon snack.
Yvonne
Oh totally, an excellent snack!
This looks like a delicious salad! So healthy and fresh!
Yvonne
Thank you so much!
Wow, this look so healthy. Would love to try this because I’m a big strawberry fan.
Yvonne
Super healthy and SUPER delicious!!!
naptimecreationsemily
everything about this looks absolutely amazing!! This kind of fruit and nut salad is my favorite and I’ve pinned it to make your version soon!
Yvonne
Doesn’t it just look wonderful?!? Let me know if you give it a try!
What a beautiful salad and it looks delicious! Pinning so I can try it! I’d love to have you share it with us at Foodie Fridays…this week’s party just ended at midnight, but our new one starts this Thursday at 9 pm.
Yvonne
Thank you! I’ll keep an eye out for the link party!
Leslie Holmgren
I was at your presentation last night at the home show and LOVED everything! I was a little leary about the prunes in the dessert but was very pleasantly surprised at how yummy it was. I am excited to prepare the shepherds pie with sweet potatoes and the salad for my family tomorrow. I just prepared the almonds so am ready to go. Our mouths are watering! Thank you for sharing!
Yvonne
Hi Leslie! That makes me so happy that you loved everything! I’m so happy you came by to tell me :) The dessert actually didn’t have prunes, but rather dates (which are different) but I can definitely understand your hesitation. Trust me, it took me a while to get on board the ‘date train’ – but I’m so glad I did, they are a fantastic natural sweetener!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I absolutely LOVE the Healthy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie and I’m excited for you to make the salad & pie!! Thanks again for attending, I really did have a great time – the crowd was wonderful! Stick around over the next couple of days – I’ll be posting the Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie recipe as well as the Strawberries & Chocolate Buttercream. Of course, stick around after that because I’ve got so many great recipes I’ll be posting!