3 spring-themed salads that’ll bring colour back in your life

Winter may be the prime time for soups. That leaves room for springtime's fresh, colourful and delicious salads for us to enjoy. 

With so many ripe fruits and vegetables in season, you’re sure to have the perfect products at home to make your meals cleaner, brighter and greener. 

There are tons of food combinations that go well with salads. You can opt for dairy-free options, add different proteins, play around with dressing options and have fun.  

Don’t know where to start? Let these 3 spring-themed salads guide you through. 

1. Apple pecan spring greens salad 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces mixed spring greens (anything leafy greens you’ve got at home) 
• 2 tbsps of cooking oil (avocado, olive, peanut, etc.) 
• 3 tbsps of liquid natural sweetener (maple syrup, honey, etc.) 
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard 
• Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (dry your bruised ones to make apple chips!)
• ½ cup nuts (you can candy them yourself for an extra sweet treat) 
• ⅓ cup crumbly cheese (blue cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, etc.) 
• ¼ of red onion, thinly sliced and slivered
• ¼ cup small dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, acai, etc.) 

Instructions

1. In a small bowl or jar, combine the oil, sweetener, dijon, vinegar, salt and pepper
2. Mix them well to make a vinaigrette
3. In a large salad bowl, add your greens, sliced apples and red onion
4. Sprinkle the nuts, cheese, dried fruit and drizzle over your homemade vinaigrette. 
5. Toss well before serving and enjoy!

2. Rainbow spring salad 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 bunch of asparagus 
• ½ cup frozen peas or edamame, thawed (or use fresh)
• A handful of salad greens (again, use what you’ve got) 
• 2 radishes or rutabagas, thinly sliced 
• ⅓ cup crumbled cheese (blue cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, etc.)
• ½ avocado, pitted and diced 
• ¼ cup chopped nuts (mix n’ toast your favourites) 
• ½ cup roasted chickpeas 
• Fresh herbs, for garnish (basil, mint, chives, etc.) 
• Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste

Dressing

• ¼ cup fresh or dry basil/mint (or combine both) 
• 1 small garlic clove (or powder)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled) 
• ½ tsp lemon zest (optional) 
• 1 tbsp vinegar (white wine, balsamic, fig, etc.) 
• 2 tbsps oil (olive, avocado, peanut, etc.) 
• Pinch of salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil, make sure you add a pinch of salt
2. Set a bowl of ice water nearby, this will be to cool the asparagus 
3. Blanch the asparagus for about 1 minute, or until tender
4. Transfer the asparagus to the ice water for another minute, then drain 
5. Allow for the asparagus to dry, then transfer it into a separate bowl with peas
6. In a food processor, add your lemon juice, zest, vinegar, oil, herbs, garlic and salt to make the dressing 
7. Add half the dressing to the asparagus and peas, toss to coat evenly and season with salt and pepper 
8. Assemble the salad by adding the radishes, leafy greens, avocado, cheese, nuts and chickpeas to the asparagus and peas, toss well 
9. Drizzle leftover dressing and sprinkle salt and pepper over the salad. Taste the rainbow!

3. Chicken & strawberry poppyseed salad 

Ingredients

Salad 

• 3 boneless chicken breasts (or use as much as desired) 
• ¼ cup of olive oil 
• 3 tbsps balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tbsp minced garlic 
• Pinch of salt and pepper 
• 3 romaine hearts, chopped 
• 3 cups spinach 
• 1 pineapple, diced 
• 16 ounces strawberries, sliced 
• 1 cup of mandarin oranges (canned or fresh) 
• ½ cup roasted pecans 
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds 

Dressing 

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise 
• 2 tbsps honey
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 2 tsps poppy seeds
• 3 tbsps milk 
• Pinch of salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Marinade the chicken breasts in a mix of balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for at least 1 hour, best done overnight 
2. Grill chicken over medium heat for approx 5-7 minutes each side, or until fully cooked 
3. Add lettuce and fruit to a large salad bowl, toss well until combined 
4. In a small bowl or jar, combine mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, poppy seeds, milk and salt to make the dressing
5. Garnish with pieces of chicken, poppy seeds, pecans and drizzle dressing over the salad. And voilà! 

Top tip!

Add some more fresh greens to your life and try a delicious Green Goddess sauce from a previous article on the FoodHero blog. Different variations of the sauce have grown in popularity since first published, they’ve even become a TikTok sensation. 

Drizzle them over either of these 3 spring salads, use them as a dip for your pita or tortilla chips or add them to your wraps, tacos or burritos. They liven up just about any dish. 

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