Raspberry-Avocado Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
for the dressing
8 raspberries
2 oz balsamic vinegar
2 oz avocado oil
1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)
salt
freshly ground black pepper


for the salad
2 heads of romaine, chopped
2 avocados, diced
3 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup raspberries


Directions:
Muddle the raspberries in the bottom of a jar or dressing container. Add the remaining dressing ingredients. Cover and shake to thoroughly mix. Toss the salad ingredients together. Divide into four bowls. Drizzle with dressing.

My thoughts

As odd as it sounds, raspberries are a good substitute for tomatoes, which are just now coming into their true season, they are sweet-tart, flavorful enough to stand up to salad dressing and their soft texture contrasts nicely with the crisp lettuce. Raspberries are also delightfully mashable so it is possible to incorporate them into a salad dressing with minimal effort. I like how their texture contrasts with the avocado, I wasn't sure about the pairing at first, but it was so good, I had to share. An easy way to sneak fruit into dinner.