Every year around the beginning of March I find my food preferences changing. Although I love roasted root vegetables and winter squashes, as we approach Spring, I start craving lighter foods – vegetables such as asparagus and salads with spring greens, fruit, nuts, and seeds.
Below is the recipe for one of my favourite salads. It’s a light, pleasing mixture of ingredients that are a great way to welcome this time of year. It’s incredibly versatile and very adaptable to individual tastes. It’s easy to make as a smaller, individual salad or larger to feed a crowd. For that reason, I’m not going to include measurements – just adjust for the size you are making.
Spring Salad
Ingredients
• Spring greens, spinach, or any favourite salad greens
• Nuts such as pecans or walnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Strawberries or citrus such as mandarin orange pieces
• Dried cranberries
• Goat cheese
I then drizzle lightly with a citrus dressing made with a little orange juice, lime juice, good quality olive oil, a little sea salt and pepper. I never dress too heavily as I want the fresh flavours to be the star. This salad is perfect on its own or pairs beautifully with citrus-marinated chicken breast or seafood such as salmon for some added protein.
This recipe is a great source of nutrients such as Vitamin C from the citrus and berries, Vitamin A from the leafy greens, essential fatty acids and Vitamin E from the nuts and seeds, as well as minerals such as zinc, manganese, and potassium.
