Strawberry-Cucumber Salad with Almonds and Mint

• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons seedless strawberry preserves or strawberry jam
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups diced English (seedless) cucumber (about 1 whole English cucumber, chopped)
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries (or frozen, thawed strawberries, halved)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lettuce leaves for serving, such as Bibb, Romaine, or red leaf lettuce

Preparation

1 Place almonds in a small, dry skillet and set pan over medium heat.
2  Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until almonds are golden brown, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.
3 Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the preserves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard.
4 Add the cucumber, strawberries, mint, and toasted almonds and toss to combine.
5 Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
6  Serve inside lettuce leaves or over chopped lettuce.

Source: Almond Board of California