RECIPE PREP: In a colander, rinse strawberries under cool running water. Gently bounce colander up and down to shed water off the berries. Spread them out on a clean lint-free towel to dry.

1. Hull the strawberries (remove green leafy top plus the pale bit of flesh right underneath). Slice strawberries in half vertically, top-down, from the tip through the middle.
2. Thinly slice the red onion. Soak the slices in a bowl of ice water until it’s time to assemble the salad. Swish them around in the water every now and then. This is how chefs reduce the harsh biting flavor and powerful aftertaste of raw onion. 
3. Drain off the juices from the can of mandarin oranges. 
4. Stem and clean the fresh spinach. Pinch off the stems and discard them. Rinse leaves in a colander under cool running water to remove grit. Use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture, or use paper towels.
5. Assemble the salad in a large bowl. Add spinach, strawberries, mandarin orange segments, red onion, feta cheese and a handful of candied walnuts. Gently toss to combine.  
6. If the entire salad will be portioned out and served immediately, drizzle with 1/3 cup balsamic dressing and toss. Leave extra dressing on the side. However, if the salad will be served later (or incrementally), do not dress it. Instead, let each person dress their own serving.