West Coast Spring Salad
Updated Mar. 06th, 2023
Salad lovers, get ready to enjoy the wholesome, fresh tastes of the West Coast in one dish. This mixed green and quinoa salad with black beans is full of protein, and even has some added omega-3’s from some heart healthy avocados! You’ll love the freshness of the strawberries and the light, creaminess of the dressing. Add some grilled salmon or chicken and afterwards enjoy the laid-back feeling of being completely satisfied in your meal choice!
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Vegetarian
Ingredients:
| salad | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup water | 10 strawberries, sliced | 1/2 cup cooked black beans |
| 1/2 cup uncooked red quinoa, rinsed | 1 avocado, sliced | 8 cups mixed greens |
| dressing: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1/3 cup mayonnaise | 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar | |
| 2 tablespoon honey | 1 teaspoon poppy seeds |
Directions
- Using a strainer, rinse your quinoa under cold water until the water runs clear. Place quinoa and 1 cup of water into a pan over medium heat and cook according to directions. Once cooked, place into a bowl and set in the fridge to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients and set aside.
- When you’re ready to serve, place the remaining salad ingredients into a bowl, toss in your quinoa and drizzle with dressing!
Make It This Way
Add some crunch to this salad by tossing in a few heart healthy nuts, such as almonds, walnuts or pecans – just be aware that this will no longer make the salad nut-free.
If you prefer, make a balsamic dressing for this salad by taking out the mayonnaise and using a balsamic reduction, in which case you won’t need the apple cider vinegar in your dressing as it will be acidic enough!
Try This
In true west coast style, adding some smoked or cooked salmon to this salad will turn it from a side dish into a meal. For some added protein, try adding a chopped hard-boiled egg as well.
I personally love salads but I find that whenever I make them myself they always turn out just "meh" so I really need to follow a recipe to get the full effect of ordering a salad in a restaurant for example. This recipe looks absolutely delicious and I am eager to try it out! I love how it incorporates quinoa too for added nutrients but also to fill you up more as sometimes if you do not add enough ingredients salads can leave you feeling more hungry. I am excited to try, thank you!
Hello,
Indeed, sometimes when you're not sure of new things to add to your salad, they can fall flat. However, when you add in different and new ingredients, you can really ramp up your salad game! The more nutrients and filling ingredients, the more satiated you'll be while also getting all the nutrients from a healthy meal.