Easy Salad Recipe for Summer

When it’s hot outside, the last thing I want to think about is cooking in a hot kitchen. No thanks! But I still want to eat healthy and nourishing meals – that’s where the summer salad comes in! Chop a few veggies, throw them in a bowl, add a light dressing, and voila! Dinner in less than 10 minutes. You guys know I’m all about food prep but I’ve been spending every free moment I have this summer enjoying the weather with friends and wine! So the last thing on my mind on Sunday is food prep. But when you’re making quick salads like this one it’s really not a big deal. I literally spend minutes throwing these together and I’ll often double the recipe and add half to a container for lunch before I add the dressing. Two meals in one?! That’s my kind of summer prep!

If you’re anything like me, you need BIG salads to keep you full for longer than 10 minutes. I need way more than just leaves and a couple tomatoes. The recipe I found below is a great starting point but feel free to make substitutions as you like! I usually add quinoa, almonds, and a protein like grilled chicken or boiled egg. This is super filling and refreshing for a light summer’s eve! It’s also a huge recipe and could probably feed four regular or two people with appetite’s like mine. 😉

Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Ingredients:

Salad Ingredients:

  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced (or you can double this to 2 avocados!)
  • 4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • half a small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 batch poppyseed dressing (recipe below)

Poppyseed Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup avocado oil (or any oil, such as olive oil)
  • 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • pinch of ground dry mustard (optional)
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

To Make The Salad:

  1. Toss all ingredients together with your desired amount of dressing until combined. Serve immediately.

To Make The Poppyseed Dressing:

  1. Whisk all ingredients together until combined.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, or more to taste.