Nothing feels more like spring to me than when strawberries and asparagus start popping up at the market or in my CSA delivery.
Well, the tree outside of our dining room window beginning to bloom comes pretty darn close.
And the part where I can start driving with my sun-roof open is pretty great.
Oh, and when my little toes start feeling adventurous enough to venture outside wearing flip-flops, spring really begins to feel like it's really here.
Then I start having to do things like talking myself out of buying flowers every time I'm at the market.
I start spending more time shopping for sundresses and wedges and sunglasses. Because I can never have enough pairs of sunglasses.
I get the urge to re-organize and clean everything. Scrub the crisper drawer? Check. Alphabetize all of the DVD's? Check. Organize all of the photo props? Well, kind of...
And our standard, go-to dinner switches from big bowls of cooked veggies and greens, grains, and beans to big bowls of filling, flavor-packed salads. All of those strawberries and bunches of asparagus that keep popping up everywhere? Oh yes, those are going in. Those sugar snap peas that the CSA sent us? Yup, those will be in there too. And we can't forget all of those lovely meyer lemons that also came in the last CSA delivery- they get turned into a bright lemon poppy seed dressing. We'll also throw in some pea shoots because they're pretty (and tasty and nutritious. But mostly pretty). Of course, we need the salad to be filling, so some chickpeas will have to be tossed in as well, and some chopped pistachios lend a nice dose of healthy fat and a nice crunch to every bite. The end result? A huge bowl of healthy and delicious salad stuffed with strawberries, asparagus, sugar snap peas, pea shoots, and pistachios dressed in sweet and tangy lemon poppy seed dressing. My friends, I think it's time to get our Spring on.
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of spinach, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cups snap peas, stems trimmed
- 1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 handful of pea shoots
- 8-10 asparagus spears
- olive oil spray
- sat and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut nectar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or other mildly flavored oil)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop the asparagus into quarters and spread the asparagus spears out on the baking sheet and lightly spray with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast in preheated oven for 10 minutes, turning them once halfway through to ensure even cooking. Remove from oven and let rest until it is cool to the touch.
- While the asparagus is in the oven, make your dressing. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix together all ingredients except poppy seeds. Once the dressing is thoroughly mixed, add the poppy seeds. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach, pea shoots, strawberries, snap peas, chickpeas, and slightly cooled asparagus. Add about 1/2 of the dressing. Toss to combine. Divide amongst the bowls. Top with chopped pistachios. Serve immediately and enjoy!
What are your personal signs that Spring is here?
Photography by Chris Miller
Beth
That looks so good! I can't believe you have strawberries already! The ones grown locally are usually ready in mid-late May to early June. When I get some good local strawberries I will make this salad, and hopefully I'll be able to eat spinach by then.
keepinitkind
We've been pretty blessed this year with great strawberries really early. I'm definitely not complaining. 🙂 Thanks, Beth!
Caitlin
to me, spring is about purging the extra crap out of my life, cleaning everything, opening the windows and having fresh air permeate the house, working outside, and coming in to make huge delicious dinner salads, like this one. roasted asparagus are just so special. and lemon poppyseed dressing! can't wait to try this one 🙂
keepinitkind
Thanks, Caitlin! I agree- I'm totally feeling the need to purge quite a bit from my life. Just keep what I need. 🙂
Ginny McMeans
This salad looks so refreshing and filling. Thanks for the recipe!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Ginny! 🙂
janet @ the taste space
O holy yum. Spring produce is still a few months away but this looks great. I can't wait for local asparagus. 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you, Janet! 🙂
Somer
SO jealous of those gorgeous ripe strawberries, we had stinking snow again today. Will be a while before the strawberry crop arrives! I'm totally going to be making that dressing! xx
keepinitkind
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! 🙂
Alexandra @ Delicious Knowledge
So jealous you have strawberries already! My CSA won't have them ready until next week and I am counting down the days. There is nothing better than a fresh, ripe strawberry. It's so worth not having them all year to enjoy them when they are in season. This salad looks like SPRING!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Alex! We've been pretty blessed in the strawberry department. I'm pretty grateful because they are one of my favorite things about the season change. 🙂
Andrea
Spring always makes me want to exercise more. Maybe if I make your salad, I'll be able to trick myself into believing it's warm and sunny outside! Just looking at the photos makes me smile.
keepinitkind
Thank you, Andrea. I agree- warmer weather does make me feel more committed to exercising. 🙂
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
I'm at the point now where I'm craving salads, especially this asparagus and strawberry combo!
keepinitkind
I know- I can't get enough of them right now! I've made this salad three times this week! 🙂
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir
I love fruit in my salad! Pears, pomegranates, strawberries, apples, watermelon, peaches...literally, I love it all. Can't wait till strawberries come in season here! Strawberry and pecans are one of my fav. salad combos. This lemon poppy dressing sound perfect for that!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Grace! I love fruit in my salads too. 🙂
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Oh drool. Strawberries and asparagus are the BEST. Come on spring!!
keepinitkind
Right?!! 😉
Richa
that is indeed one pretyt bowl of salad. Dude we had an hour of snow-hail storm on Saturday here .. and cold since then with bits of sunshine to fool us into getting out. still packing a huge jacket and mufflers here 😛
I cant wait for some warmth, loads of mangoes, strawberries and juicy fruits!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Richa! It will come- the weather will warm up. Then it will be too hot and we'll be wishing for snow storms again. 🙂
Liz
Yeah, what is it about the advent of Spring that prompts sudden and frequent bouts of cleaning?? I can't tidy up the house enough! It's like a sickness. (That, granted, plagues me throughout the year, but, it's especially persistent in the start of Spring. 🙂 )
keepinitkind
You sound just like me. All year round, I try to keep things tidy, but come spring, I need everything to be organized, clean, and clutter-free. 🙂
Johanna GGG
I am having to wriggle my toes back into socks and shoes after months of sandals - it is one of the hard things about autumn taking hold here - but love the salad and am bookmarking it for springtime
keepinitkind
Thank you, Johanna! 🙂
Melissa
Yum, everything in this salad is totally up my alley. I need to make this soon and convince myself that it's spring, even if we just got another pile of snow here yesterday. =/
keepinitkind
Come on, Spring! Hurry on up! 😉
Cadry
This looks like the absolute perfect springtime meal. You're right. Once asparagus starts popping up in the grocery store, my sandals prepare to move out of hibernation.
keepinitkind
Thank you, Cadry! 🙂
Shira
This salad looks just incredible Kristy! I love poppy seed salad dressings so will try this one for sure. And what a fantastic way to use asparagus & strawberries together! Stunning!
Heather
It is FINALLY Spring here in New England- Signs of spring for us would be the trees finally budding and the sweet song of the Cardinal singing to his forever mate :)We have had amazing weather lately which has re-energized me too- crisper drawers scrubbed up too 🙂 I have asparagus shoots emerging in the Garden and cannot wait until they are ready for harvest.
LOVE everything about this salad Kristy!