I've seen, made, and eaten multiple variations of this salad. I finally figured out that the key to it is simplicity, with a few key flavors: the sweet, the tangy, the crunchy, and the salty. Don't overload it with too many extra fruits and stuff, or it overwhelms the delicacy of it.
Sweet comes from the strawberries, and I always prefer the bed of greens as spinach. It keeps things simple, and saves on the budget. You can add romaine or arugula or baby spring greens, but spinach is just so good, and allows the other flavors to shine.
Tangy comes from the fruity vinaigrette dressing (and yes, it is vinaigrette, and not vinagrette. Vinegar in French is vinaigre, and the root word for that is aigre, which means bitter. So that is why it forms the word vinaigre-tte.).
Crunchy comes from the sliced or slivered almonds. Almonds seem to taste the best in this salad, and they are best when toasted.
Salty comes from the cheese. You can add any cheese that suits you. I have tried feta, Queso Fresco (I've seen it at Walmart), and shredded mozzarella, and love them all.
Toss all ingredients together, and enjoy!
