Very Berry Dream Salad with Chili Mango and Peanut Vinaigrette
This refreshing and flavorful salad is a perfect summer meal
This refreshing and flavorful salad is a perfect summer meal
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 ripe medium mango peeled + diced
- 1 inch knob fresh ginger peeled + diced
- 1 fresno chili pepper seeded + diced
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons sweet thai chili sauce
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (lite or regular both work)
- salad:
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 4 cups mixed berries (i used raspberries blueberries and blackberries)
- 2 cups cooked grains (i used bob's red mill barley and quinoa)
- 2 cups fresh sprouts
- 1/2 cup toasted peanut chopped
- 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
- 1/2 mango peeled + diced
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 avocado pitted peeled + sliced
- 4 ounces goat cheese or feta cheese crumbled (omit if vegan)
- 1/2 cup edible flowers (optional)
- Carbohydrate 14.4962187477038 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 16.6691387524867 g
- Fiber 7.66928745927256 g
- Protein 5.02527999920527 g
- Saturated Fat 2.51802450040535 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (169g)
- Sodium 49.5337682294348 mg
- Sugar 6.8269312884312 g
- Trans Fat 0.945511999994663 g
- Calories 213 calories
Step-by-step
- In a blender or high powered food processor, combine the mango, ginger, fresno chili pepper, peanut butter, sweet thai chili sauce, coconut milk, olive oil and rice vinegar.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- If the vinaigrette seems a bit thick, thin with water.
- Stir in the chopped basil and season with salt + pepper.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week in a glass jar.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, berries, grains, sprouts, peanuts, pine nuts, mango and chia seeds.
- Toss well.
- Top with avocado slices, goat or feta cheese (If using) and edible flowers.
- Drizzle generously with the mango vinaigrette.
- Serve with extra vinaigrette.
A high-speed blender or food processor is strictly required to emulsify the fibrous mango, fresh ginger, and creamy peanut butter into a smooth consistency without leaving stubborn fruit chunks behind. When processing dressings containing canned coconut milk and olive oil, run the motor for a full sixty seconds to ensure the fats bind properly with the rice vinegar. If the resulting emulsion appears excessively thick due to dense fruit purees, incorporate water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable coating consistency. Stored in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator, this specific emulsified dressing maintains its structural integrity and bright flavor profile for up to seven days.
Assembling the base components ahead of time requires careful separation of wet and dry elements to prevent sogginess. Cooked barley and quinoa should be chilled completely before tossing with baby spinach, fresh sprouts, and mixed berries, because residual heat from warm grains will wilt delicate greens within minutes. Avocados and crumbled goat or feta cheese are best added immediately prior to serving rather than during initial bulk mixing. Fresh berries release cellular moisture over extended storage periods, meaning dressed leftovers will degrade rapidly in texture by the following day.
Multiplying the ingredient quantities for larger gatherings requires careful attention to the emulsion ratio in the dressing. Doubling the chili mango base works reliably in standard kitchen blenders, but exceeding the maximum fill line of smaller processor bowls will prevent proper vortex formation and leave unblended chunks of fresno chili. When scaling the grain and green portions upward, toss the mixture in batches inside an oversized bowl to distribute the chia seeds and chopped nuts evenly without bruising the berries.
Freezing this dish is fundamentally unviable because the high water content in fresh berries, baby spinach, and sliced avocado ruins their cellular structure upon thawing. Defrosted berries collapse into a watery purée, while thawed spinach and sprouts turn limp and unpalatable. Preparing the elements fresh remains the only method that preserves the crisp contrast between toasted peanuts, pine nuts, and tender grains.
