Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

One of the number one questions I get asked as a nutritionist is what type of salad dressings are the best. I have two answers:
     --Ones you make yourself
      --Ones made with grapeseed and/or olive oil
When you make your dressings yourself - you will always use a higher quality oil (does anyone out there have soybean oil in their pantry?) and you will rarely ever even come close to the amount of sugar and sodium typically added to dressings -- let alone all the additives and preservatives.

So here's how you make the Poppy Seed Vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together:

1/2 cup Rice Vinegar
1/4 cup Natural Grapeseed Oil
2-3 tablespoons of sugar or you can do like me and use a combination of sugar & stevia
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. Ranchers Steak Rub
2 tsp. poppy seeds

To make the salad you will need:

1 bag, bunch, package of baby spinach
1 cup of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4-1/3 cup pecans or walnuts - 

Roast nuts stovetop with a tsp. of maple syrup or honey - heat the pan - toss in the nuts - watching closely as they will burn quickly - as soon as they heat - toss with the maple syrup or honey and remove from heat. Let cool then toss on the salad.