Easy Spring Salad [+Video]

This is an easy spring salad full of seasonal ingredients like asparagus, radishes, peas, fresh herbs and enhanced with roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and hard boiled eggs all topped with a bright and tangy lemon salad dressing.

Well, we did it again! We survived winter! And boy was it a doozy here in Utah this year. I have never seen so much snow here and we have lived here a really long time. So the fact that a “spring” salad is even a possibility brings a smile to my face! It is time for bright refreshing flavors and warmer temperatures!

What Goes in a Spring Salad?

One of the beauties of a salad is that they are so versatile, so I’m going to share the ingredients for how we like to make this salad, but keep in mind that you can omit or add ingredients to your liking. Here is what we like…

Dressing

• Olive Oil: the base of the dressing
• Dijon Mustard: adds intense mustard flavor
• Lemon Juice and Zest: adds a bright pop of freshness and acidity
• Shallot: adds mild onion flavor
• Champagne Vinegar: if you can’t find champagne vinegar, you can use prosecco or white wine vinegar
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor

Salad

• Pine Nuts: adds texture and we toast them for maximum flavor
• Asparagus: remove the tough stem end and then cut it into 1-2″ pieces
• Frozen Peas: let them defrost in a bowl of water
• Baby Salad Greens: this can be any mix of greens you enjoy…romaine, spinach, arugula, chard, etc.
• Radishes: adds a little heat and gorgeous color
• Cucumber: we prefer an English cucumber
• Fresh Herbs: mint, basil, parsley, chives – this blend is so bright and bold
• Feta: totally optional, but we love them saltiness flavor it adds
• Roasted Chickpeas: you can buy roasted chickpeas or roast your own and they add great texture
• Olive Oil: used to roast the chickpeas
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Hard Boiled Eggs: adds protein and heartiness to the salad

This is meant to just be an overview of the ingredients for this salad. For all the details and measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make a Fresh Spring Salad

I like to start salad recipes by making the dressing. It can be made up to a day or two ahead of time, so it’s nice to get that made and out of the way. For this salad dressing, just whisk all the ingredients together and set it aside.

Other parts of this recipe can also be prepped ahead of time. You can hard boil the eggs, toast the pine nuts and roast the chickpeas up

One Pan Honey Turmeric Chicken with Asparagus and Zucchini

This One Pan honey turmeric chicken recipe is so simple, and it has saved me on those busy weeknights when I need to get something quickly on the table. And BONUS…it’s healthy too!

Awhile back I was in a total dinner rut. The stress of moving, not finding a house to buy, new city, new schools, not finding doctors, not knowing my way around etc. was taking its toll and I was feeling a bit tired. So I just simplified literally everything. Starting with meals. I needed more time sitting with my family and less time grocery shopping and cooking. This sheet pan recipe takes only 20 minutes!

I think we made this dinner once a week for over a month until I finally decided it should be on the blog. It’s totally adaptable with what veggies you use and could even be made into a Buddha bowl.

Ingredients for Honey Turmeric Chicken

You aren’t going to believe how simple this recipe is when it comes to the ingredients. This is why it has become a regular on our dinner rotation. I am all about quick and easy recipes these days! Here is what you will need:

For the Chicken

• Chicken Thighs: boneless, skinless, cut into bite size pieces
• Flour: just all purpose flour, helps form a crust on the chicken when you cook it
• Turmeric: adds all the flavor and bold, beautiful color
• Salt: adds flavor
• Pepper: adds a little heat and great flavor, chicken always needs salt and pepper!
• Asparagus: wash the asparagus and snap off the root end, then cut them into 1″ pieces
• Zucchini: gently wash the zucchini and then slice it into 1/4-1/2″ disks
• Lemon: this is totally optional but can be added if you wanted the added burst of flavor

For the Sauce

• Water: base for the sauce
• Honey: adds natural sweetness and pairs so perfectly with the turmeric
• Black Pepper: adds flavor to the sauce and little bit of heat
• Salt: adds flavor and enhances the sweetness
• Rice Vinegar: adds a perfect tang to the sauce and can be substituted with lemon juice if you prefer

The recipe card at the end of the post contains the measurements of all the ingredients as well as instructions for how to make this recipe.

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric is a spice in the ginger family that originates in Southeast Asia and is one of the main ingredients in curry powder. It is a deep yellow-orange color that adds exotic flavor, nutrition and bold color to any meal. 

Where Do You Buy Turmeric?

Turmeric can be found at any grocery store on the spice aisle. They also have it at Costco. If you can’t find it by the spices for some reason, you can usually find it in the health supplement aisle.

What are the Health Benefits of Turmeric?

The main active ingredient in turmeric is a compound called curcumin which has proven benefits as an anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and as an antioxidant and it also supports brain hea

This Asparagus Skillet is a delightful combination of sweet potatoes, fresh corn, asparagus, and bacon with a drizzle of balsamic.

Asparagus Skillet

This was something unexpected that I pulled together for a dinner side dish a few years ago, using odds and ends from the refrigerator. It was one of those nights where I stood there staring just waiting for inspiration. As if I expected a meal to magically appear.

So I started pulling out things that just need to be used up, a random ear of corn, a few strips of bacon (what were those doing left alone, that NEVER happens) a bundle of asparagus that was looking just a tad sad along with some sweet potatoes on the verge of sprouting.

What resulted was a skillet full of magic. I know that sounds like I am exaggerating but I promise you I am not. This dish is so good it qualifies as a company coming over meal.

Slightly browned sweet potatoes, salty bacon pieces, fresh corn cooked just until warm, and asparagus that is tender and still just a little bit crisp are all tossed together with just a drizzle of balsamic to make this Asparagus, Bacon, Corn, and Sweet Potato Skillet.

I enjoyed the sweet and salty mix of the potatoes and the bacon combined with the crunch of the fresh vegetables. This is a great mix of textures and flavors. My kids liked this so much, that my oldest asked for seconds. Seconds of a vegetable side dish?

While I intended for this to be a side dish because I served it with some grilled chicken that night. This dish has a spot in our regular lineup. And I have been known to double and triple the recipe and call it the entire meal.

Kitchen Tip: I use this skillet, this bowl, and this spatula to make this recipe.

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Roasted Broccoli and Asparagus are two of my favorite vegetables to roast and fortunately, they pair deliciously with the varieties of summer squash that are at their best this time of year.

Roasted Broccoli and Asparagus

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables. It is so simple and the vegetables always turn out well with very little effort on my part. Tonight’s dinner was especially fun because the squash was from our very own garden!

This is the first year we have had a garden and has been exciting to watch our plants grow each day. The squash in this recipe was our first harvest and it was delicious. I am looking forward to an awesome summer of fresh homegrown vegetables.

Edited to add: I published this post 11 years ago just a few days after I started sharing recipes on this website. We aren’t gardening this year, so I’m really looking forward to enjoying the Farmer’s Market near our new home in Ohio!

Roasted Summer Vegetables

• asparagus spears
• Italian zucchini
• yellow or crookneck squash
• broccoli florets
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Roasted Asparagus, Broccoli and Summer Squash

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the vegetables on a large baking sheet and drizzle generously with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat all the pieces.
2. Spread the vegetables across the pan in a single layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes until crisp-tender. Serve warm.