Red Spinach Leaves?  Yes! Green and Spinach have been synonymous until I found a new package of red spinach leaves on the shelves at Trader Joe’s. With colorful summer produce in, this red spinach adds to the excitement of (what can get boring) building a summer salad. Its leaves are tender like standard green spinach, but I taste a slightly sweeter flavor, perhaps because of the refreshing vibrant color.

For more color, I added red radishes, fresh peaches, toasted pecans, chopped fresh basil, and thin slices of aged parmesan. Enjoy the bounty of the season.

Basic Balsamic Salad Dressing

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup aged balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons fresh herbs (basil, chives, oregano, or tarragon or a mixture of them), finely chopped

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse 3-4 times.  You can also place the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously 3-4 times.  Let the flavors meld for several minutes before serving over your red spinach salad.