Spring Vegetable Salad with Strawberries and Poppy Seed Dressing
The following recipe and photography was provided courtesy of Heinen’s Club Fx Recipe Developer and Food Photographer, Allianna Moximchalk from Allianna’s Kitchen.
When I think of spring, the color green comes to mind. Maybe it’s because I can finally see the grass after months of snow, or maybe it’s because of the assortment of luscious leafy greens that seem to grow by the day in Heinen’s Produce Department. No matter the reason, the spring season has me craving a refreshing salad, and there’s no better place to find the ingredients than at Heinen’s!
When building a salad, it’s important to start from the bottom and work your way up! So, start with the greens. To get the most nutritious bang for your buck, opt for dark leafy greens, like spinach, kale, chard and dandelion greens! All of these lettuce-like veggies have antioxidant properties and are great sources of fiber, folate, carotenoids and vitamins and minerals, such as iron and calcium. For this recipe, I chose dandelion greens. Don’t worry – they don’t take anything like the weeds that grow in your yard!
Next, it’s time for the toppings, and I’m all about adding as much flavor and crunch as possible to keep each bite interesting! Strawberries come into season in the spring, so I couldn’t resist adding a handful of these low-calorie sweet treats that are conveniently packed with vitamins, fiber and antioxidants!
For an extra touch of green, as well as a boost of protein, I added a handful of edamame, but you can easily substitute these for fresh peas if you wish. Sautéed red onions and slivered almonds round out the list of toppings and add delicious tang and crunch!
Once the toppings are chosen, it’s time to decide on the dressing. While there are countless varieties of salad dressings available in the grocery store, I highly recommend making your own – it’s cleaner and you probably have all of the ingredients on-hand. To show your gut a little extra love, I recommend creating an apple cider vinegar-based dressing, like the poppy seed dressing below. The acidic flavor pairs perfectly with the crisp ingredients in the salad!
If you thought eating salad was boring, I challenge you to try this vibrant creation this spring. Your body will thank you!
Spring Vegetable Salad with Strawberries and Poppy Seed Dressing
Servings: 3 Salads
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 cups strawberries, sliced and cleaned
- ½ cup fresh peas or edamame
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 9 cups dandelion greens
- 1 Tbsp. avocado oil
- Slivered almonds, optional topping
For the Dressing
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. poppy seeds
Instructions
- Add the avocado oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until fragrant.
- While the onions are sautéing, place all of the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Add the dandelion greens to a large serving bowl followed by the sliced strawberries, edamame or peas and sautéed onion.
- Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the top and finish with optional slivered almonds.
