I have a huge confession.
I only recently started eating goat cheese. I’m sure some slipped by my lips in previous years without me knowing when I have ordered some sort of salad loaded with bacon and fries.
But, I just lately purchased it myself. It was difficult to bring myself to eat something with the word ‘goat’ in it. I just think of hairy, dirty animals with horns. Goats have horns, right? Or something like it.
Anyway, I’m in love.
And even better, I highly doubt Mr. How Sweet has the sophisticated taste buds to eat goat cheese. In fact, I doubt he would eat anything with the word ‘goat’ in it either, unless it involved massive amounts of meat. And that is just gross.
So, as usual, this means more for me.
Something else strange has been happening in my world lately.
I’ve had this odd craving for . . . salad. Like, a salad full of vegetables.
I know. It is weird.
So I’ve made some of these strange looking things, these salads as you call them, and of course, 2 bites in, I am totally disgusted.
Tastes like grass. And tastes like something else that rhymes with grass.
Just when I thought my taste buds were maturing, were willing to accepts veggies in all colors of the rainbow, I was shot down.
Alas, there is still a tiny bit of promise.
This salad gave me some hope.
Warm, gooey, melty goat cheese coated in crispy whole wheat panko. I could probably eat a pound of this in one sitting, it was that desirable.
Combined with the crisp spinach, the sweet strawberries, and the salty walnuts, it almost turned my love for vegetables around.
Then I realized that there weren’t many vegetables in the salad.
Oh, well.
I still ate a salad, and a might fine and tasty one at that.
Warm Herb-Crusted Goat Cheese Spinach Salad
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup strawberries, sliced
1 oz glazed walnuts, chopped
1/8 red onion, sliced thin
1 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
pinch of rosemary & thyme
I tablespoon olive oil
Arrange spinach, strawberries, and onions in a salad bowl.
Heat olive oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Place flour, egg, and panko in 3 separate bowls in an assembly line. Add rosemary and thyme to panko.
Coat goat cheese in flour, dip in beaten egg, and roll in panko mix. Make sure to press bread crumbs into cheese. Place in skillet and let brown on all sides, making sure the coating does not burn. As soon as the breading is golden brown and crispy, remove from skillet and lay on a paper towel for 60 seconds.
Add on top of salad while still warm.
You have gotta try this salad soon.
Or at least try this big hunk of crispy cheese. It will brighten your day.
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I loooove goat cheese!
I never would have thought the day would come you gave out a salad recipe
LOVE crusted goat cheese, I should give this a go at home!
I’m proud of you for eating salad! Well done!
I go through phases where I don’t eat salads. Right now, I have just started craving them, guess it the warm weather. This looks delicious, I need to try this soon. I’m eyeing that goat cheese…yum
YES!!! There is NOTHING better in this world than a warm, crispy, goat cheese nugget
I would never think to make this for myself, but it looks so good! I think I am going to have to add it to my list. Thanks for the great ideas!
I might need to make the cheese-balls and skip the salad
Okay really that looks resturaunt worthy!!
Goat cheese is gggreat! during summer there is not a possibility of a BBQ without some grilled goat cheese
I MUST try that salad soon!
Oh I love goat cheese!
One of my favorite Spanish dishes is crunchy baked goat cheese in tomato sauce, spread on crusty bread… mmmm
Oooh that last melty cheese picture… love.
Ok, the last photo is killing me! I can’t have cheese and I love warm goat cheese! So yummy. I hope you enjoyed some for me too!
mmmm…i could totally go for a hunk of crispy fried cheese right now…is there anything better? mmmmmm…mouth = watering
Anything with goat cheese makes me happy. You’ve done it again!
how does warm crispy cheese not make your day!
Fruits and veggies? Am I reading the right blog?
Wow this salad looks divine. Although I do love my veggies, it’s very rare I make a salad as a meal by itself. This however, looks right up my alley. Exactly the type of salad I do enjoy. Can’t wait to try this.
I have a salad with goat cheese in it for lunch!
darling wife,
you don’t give me enough credit. I’ve had goat cheese. or at least i think I did. it looked like the stuff in the very last picture. ok, it was probably frozen jalapeno poppers. in case you are wondering, the recipe for those is as follows:
1. go to grocery store to buy poppers
2. go to register to pay for poppers, eyeing up the tabloids to see why Jake really chose Vienna and debate purchasing tabloid
3. go home
4. pre-heat oven at 350 degrees
5. bake for 8 minutes
6. eat with a sandwich
i’m sorry, what were you saying about my under-developed taste buds?
I am a total salad fanatic and this looks fabulous!!! I love salads with fruits, nuts, and cheese. Goat cheese is definitely one of my favorites.
This looks A LOT like my favorite salad from Carrabas! I am totally making this. Goat cheese is amazingggggg
I am so proud of you for eating your greens!!
Actually I love many products made from goat milk. I eat loads of goat cheese, but I have never prepared it like this. I love the idea of the panko crust, great job!
That looks amazing! My boyfriend actually loves goat cheese so he’d be thrilled. I do know a lot of people turned off by the ‘goat’ thing as well–but not me!
Looove warm goat cheese! There’s a place near me that serves it crusted with ground almonds and drizzled with almonds.
It looks lovely but the last time i had goats cheese i hated it!! Maybe it’s time for another try! xxx
Can you open a restaurant and serve me this salad and cupcakes after? I’ll totally make it there!
This- this made my morning:
“Tastes like grass. And tastes like something else that rhymes with grass.”
Looks great. I can’t believe you didn’t have goat cheese until recently. It is so delicious.
Mmm this reminds me of one of my favorite salads at one of my fave restaurants – they do goat cheese in the same way, and the salad has raspberries and candied peppered pecans…YUM. haha So good.
I claim to not really like cheese (kind of like you and veggies) – but this would win my heart and my stomach over. I’m sure of it.
my salad from sweet basil this weekedn had crusted goat cheese on it JUST like this! OMG amazing, I Love goat cheese esp on pizza
I just recently fell in love with it as well. But it is a profound love.
My mom would love that salad! She always ordered salads of that nature when we go out to eat. I’ll have to give her the recipe.
Oh its funny you mention this!
I had this about 2 months ago for the first time and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!
Warm crusted goat cheese is one of my FAVS!!! Especially in salad!
This looks so good
your pictures look so well lit!! And the goat cheese sounds incredible. I love goat cheese. my husband can’t stand it. I put it in an omelet the other night, and he grabbed the package and said “did you seriously pay this much for this stuff??” haha
Mmm all of your recipes look fabulous!! Can’t wait to try them for myself
At the beginning of reading each of your posts I repeat the same thing to myself, not gonna drool this time, not gonna drool this time… Just had to wipe my chin again. This looks wonderful!!
oooh I am TOTALLY in love with goats cheese. I will have to try that recipe for sure – thanks for sharing
Well I’m so happy to hear you’ve had cravings for salads! Of course, I would suggest using other lettuce like romaine, rather than all spinach (even in a “spinach salad”) because like you, I don’t think it taste very good fresh! It does sort of taste like grass….you said it right. That’s why I like mine steamed, mixed with other lettuce, or ground up in a smoothie! Either way, this salad looks great!
So proud of you branching (pun intended) out, gf!
this sounds amazing because i absolutely love goat cheese
I’m loving the use of panko on the goat cheese! Great idea.
I like any salad with cheese and bacon.
Hehe, you are so funny the way you talk about salads
Yours looks AMAZING…I love strawberries on salads and, though I am new to goat cheese, that hunk of ooey gooey deliciousness looks heavenly.
Jessica, I’m glad this didn’t have meat (I’m vegetarian). The texture of this salad looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE goat cheese and I currently have an obsession with it in my salads. it used to be feta, but I switched over a couple of weeks ago. need to try this asap!
Oh my girl. This makes me want to grab this dish off the computer screen. I used to be a big fan of goat cheese, I have not had it in awhile. Not sure how my tummy would handle it now, but this makes me want to try
Oh yum! Herb crusted goat cheese…it’s making me drool. So glad you’re a goat cheese fan now! I’m with you.
goat cheese and champagne go perfectly…even for the dairy intolerant vegan set.
Just when I think that you can’t top yourself with another amazing recipe… you prove me wrong. LOVE goat cheese, oh wow. I used to hate it too… the goat thing freaked me out. But it’s do dang good!!! And fried…melty cheese… um YUM! The salad is just a vehicle..
Wow, that last picture where the goat cheese nugget is split open? I was literally drooling at my desk. That’s ridiculous. Made me go buy cheese after work.
You’re doing a whole post on…veggies?? Lol! I love salads. Usually. Sometimes. Especially with something creamy and cheesy. The goat cheese looks SO good! *drools*
Aw, really, goats aren’t that bad! Yes, they’re hairy, sure they’ll get dirty but not like pigs (think horses) and YES, they have horns! But really, they’re such sweet animals. Just a little overly curious. And the baby goats (“kids”) are such adorable little clowns! If laughing too hard kills, then they’d have you dead pretty quick. No lie.
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