It may not feel like it with the chilly weather outside, but spring is finally here! As the snow melts and the temperature begins to warm, there’s alot to be excited about this spring. Vibrant flowers and abundant produce are coming into being, and what better way to celebrate than with healthy and tasy spring salads? Here are some of our favourite spring salad recipes from around the web:
Asparagus and Red Quinoa Salad
This tasty and filling salad is easy to prepare and works as well as a main dish as it does as a delectable side dish for any meal. Start by cooking a cup of raw quinoa by bringing it to a boil and then simmering for fifteen to twenty minutes. Halve raw asparagus and slice it length-wise. Also slice radishes, cilantro, and walnuts. Combine the cooked red quinoa with the sliced asparagus, radishes, and walnuts. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste. No dressing is even needed!
Spring Greens with Quick-Pickled Vegetables
This fresh and vibrant salad is refreshingly tart but balanced by the dressing. To make a quick brine, combine 1 cup of rice vinegar with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add vegetables which have been sliced on a mandolin. We recommend carrots, beets, and baby turnips, but you can slice any hardy vegetable you’d like. Let the vegetables sit in the brine for about ten minutes, then drain. Make a vinaigrette by mixing 1/3 cup of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, and salt and pepper. Combine a large portion of mixed tender greens and herb leaf blossoms with the vinaigrette and mix in the pickled vegetables. Delightful!
Rhubarb Salad With Goat Cheese
Martha’s the queen of cuisine for good reason! The recipe is irresissible. Cut 3/4 pound of rhubarb into bite-sized pieces, toss with honey, and roast in a 450º oven for about five minutes. Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette. Add a pound of arugula and one thinly-sliced fennel bulb. Toss and then top with the roasted rhubarb, chopped and roasted walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese.
Southern Pecan & Apple Salad
Jamie Oliver has come up with this crunchy and colourful salad. It may not be the most light, as it requires cooking pecans in a caramel syrup, but why not live a little? Make a dressing by combining extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, orange juice, orange zest, and salt and pepper. Combine mixed greens, radicchio, and chicory with sliced apples. Add the pecans and voila!
Bon appetit, everyone.
