Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. This brings out their natural oils and enhances their crunch. While the walnuts toast, prepare all your vegetables: slice the strawberries into 1/4-inch rounds, dice the celery, cube the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, thinly slice the radishes using a mandoline, and chop the scallions. Chop the fresh mint and set aside. Once the walnuts are done, let them cool slightly on a plate.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice, honey, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until the dressing is well emulsified and the poppy seeds are evenly distributed. Set aside until ready to use. I always use freshly squeezed orange juice rather than bottled—it makes a noticeable difference in brightness and acidity.

Place the spinach in a large salad bowl and add the cooled toasted walnuts from Step 1, along with the celery, cucumber, radishes, scallions, and pumpkin seeds. Gently toss these ingredients together to combine evenly. Don't add the avocado, strawberries, or cheese yet—they're delicate and will hold better if added just before serving.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and slice or cube it into bite-sized pieces. Add the avocado to the salad bowl along with the crumbled or cubed goat cheese. Gently fold these ingredients into the salad base, being careful not to mash the avocado. I like to add these components just before the final step to prevent the avocado from browning and to keep the goat cheese from breaking up too much.

Top the salad with the sliced strawberries from Step 1 and sprinkle with the chopped mint. Shake the dressing jar once more to recombine, then drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the top. Toss gently and serve immediately while the spinach is crisp and all the textures are at their best.