Mixed Greens with Berries, Walnuts and Goat Cheese

The more I read about berries being among the healthiest foods we can eat, the happier I am. This fact helps me justify keeping a bevy of berries on-hand at all times. I toss them into yogurt when I don’t really want the yogurt, but need the calcium. I use them as an excuse to make muffins and cobblers. And I give them a rinse and consume them by the handful. Salads are also a great way to incorporate berries and this recipe for Mixed Greens with Berries, Walnuts and Goat Cheese has become our favorite summer salad.

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Berries as health food

Everyone knows berries are good for you. They’re chock-full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. And their healthy qualities are even credited with reducing the risk of certain diseases. Here’s a quick breakdown on the many ways they’re good for us:

Heart health

Full of antioxidants, berries help reduce inflammation in our bodies. This, in turn, helps reduce cholesterol and heart problems

Berries power our brains

Berries are known to improve our memory and help preserve cognitive function

A fiber powerhouse

We all know the importance of fiber in our diet. Still, many of us struggle to reach our goals. One cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber, giving us a delicious leg-up on our daily goals

Berries and mixed greens are low in sugar

The glycemic index, that chart of all foods that can either spike or stabilize our blood sugar, lists berries as a low sugar food

Good for eye health

Berries are known to help prevent age-related macular degeneration, and may even help protect our overall vision

Berries and mixed greens can reduce cancer risk

Credited with reducing risk for a number of cancers, including breast, colon, esophagus, and mouth cancers, berries are one of our healthiest food choices

The only downside to berries

How many times have you gone to the refrigerator to wash and serve your raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or strawberries, only to find they’ve molded, or are stuck-together and basically inedible? I’m finding the refrigerator life of berries seems to get shorter every year.

I’ve invested in these, and I am not kidding, they have double or tripled the life of all my berries. The separation and aeration they provide truly is the ticket to prolonging your investment.

OXO Good Grips Produce Saver – Berry Keeper 2-Piece Set

Toss berries with mixed greens for added health benefits

No one needs to hear more about why eating greens is good for us. But even salad-lovers can tire of the same old mixed greens salad. The addition of mixed berries adds an instant visual pick-me-up to a mixed greens salad, as well as adding all the health benefits of consuming more berries. This goes double if you take the plunge and plant lettuce in your own Container Lettuce Garden. Knowing a few tips, it is far easier than it sounds to harvest your very own crop!

Whether you buy lettuce at a farmer’s market, the grocery, or you grow your own, prolonging the life of the tender leaves is far easier with the right process. These containers make quick work of longer-lasting lettuce. They’re based on the same freshness principles as the berry keeper, above. They keep lettuce crisp and free from slime and mold for at least twice as long as anything else I’ve tried.

Loobuu 2 Pack Plastic Food Storage Produce Containers for Fridge, Stackable Lettuce Keeper for Refrigerator with Removable Drain Tray Keep Fresh for Vegetables/Fruit/Berry/Salad – 10” x 5.3” x 5.2” Clear

As soon as I get home with lettuce from the grocery, I transfer it to these. And, if I’m storing lettuce from my balcony container lettuce garden, I wash and spin it, then add it to these. I’ve had my home-grown lettuce last a couple of weeks in these.

Walnuts add crunch and healthy fats

The health benefits of walnuts have a list as long as the health benefits of berries. They contribute to heart health, given that they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids, helping to lower “bad” cholesterol levels, help keep us full, and also have cancer-preventing properties.

Yes, nuts can be caloric but studies have shown that a handful of nuts a day does not promote weight gain, thanks to the fact they help keep us full, longer than many foods.

Goat cheese is its own powerhouse

Goat cheese is a favorite for its unique tang, and for many, it’s easier to digest than many cheeses. It’s also a calcium-rich cheese, high in phosphorous, and protein. But maybe most importantly, a little bit of goat cheese can go a long way in the flavor department.

What’s for dinner: Mixed Greens with Berries, Walnuts and Goat Cheese

At the end of a long, hot day when no one really wants to cook, this salad is the perfect meal. It’s delicious, contains everything you need for a healthy meal, and can be assembled in no time. If you’re looking to beef-up your healthy, daily protein intake, adding some shrimp or grilled chicken to this salad is a delicious add-in.

Sometimes, all you need to make salad interesting again, is broadening your ingredients, with an eye to the health benefits of what you may already have on hand. The finishing touch? A Balsamic Dressing that adds one more layer to the flavors you’ve already assembled, to tie it all together for a perfect summer meal.

Last update on 2025-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API