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Now, this is my kind of summer salad! Crunchy pretzels, creamy, sweet strawberries, and not a veggie in sight!
Just kidding- I also enjoy salads with vegetables!
But, this strawberry pretzel salad has the perfect mix of flavors and textures- salty, sweet, cool, crunchy, and creamy! Yes, please!
And, have you tried the gluten free pretzels at Aldi?!?
They are my absolute favorite in the gluten free pretzel world!
Crunchy, but not too hard. Salty. Over the years, I've grown accustomed to eating gluten free pretzels with something else to add a bit more flavor (cheese, peanut butter, etc.), but these pretzels are even amazing on their own!
Anyways, back to this gluten free strawberry pretzel salad... So, I didn't make the Jello portion, but that's mostly sugar anyway. By adding a dusting of powdered sugar to the strawberries, liquid will be drawn out of the berries creating a syrup. My cream cheese layer is pretty similar to the original; though, I did use less sugar and added some Greek yogurt for more flavor and protein. Also, I added strawberries to each slice while serving, but you could also add all of the strawberries to the top.
Well, this goes back to the 60 and 70s, when Jello "salads" became popular. They do not use vegetables, but a Jello salad involves gelatin with fruit. The colorful, small pieces look similar to a salad.
Back in the day, I LOVED Cool Whip! Like, just hand me a spoon! But, here's a deep, dark secret...Cool Whip is made with hydrogenated oils, AKA trans fats. Now, I prefer a coconut oil based whipped topping like TruWhip, CocoWhip, or the Plant-Based Whipped Topping from Whole Foods.
Macerating strawberries simply means they have been sprinkled with sugar and left to sit. This will allow them to soften and sweeten. Now, you may be saying...wait, strawberries are already sweet! True, but some strawberries may not be at their peak ripeness and lack flavor and sweetness. This method will solve that problem. And if they're already ripe and sweet, macerating will just make them even better! The sugar will pull liquid out of the berry, creating a syrup. And, just a little sugar will really go a long way. Instead of creating Jello with strawberries, I opted for strawberries with this syrupy glaze.
I’d recommend either small, thin slices or diced pieces. Wash and cut off the tops. Then, chop into quarters or make 4-5 thin slices. You can even use an egg slicer for the perfect slices!
For a sweet summer treat perfect for any potluck, this gluten free strawberry pretzel salad makes a fun layered dessert!
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