Quick and easy to make, full of fresh flavor, and tossed with a simple poppyseed dressing – a side of grilled chicken or salmon is all that’s needed for a light and satisfying summer meal.
As I glance back on the last few posts, things are looking rather fruity and salad-y. Tis the season, but rest assured. Corn, potatoes, shrimp, and sausage are coming soon!
And as we work and play our way through the summer, my plan is to touch on a little something to keep everyone happy, from the gardeners and the entertainers to those who prefer to get in and out of the kitchen quickly so they can have a little more fun in the sun.
Last week I revamped my original creamy poppy seed dressing in conjunction with a salad dressing challenge from my friends at Stonyfield. They’re partnering with Taylor Farms, a producer of organic greens, to help everyone eat more healthy salads this summer.
So many people are trying to reduce their sugar intake while increasing their consumption of protein and healthy fats, and I know a handful of readers who are simply not in the mayonnaise camp. So my new-and-improved dressing takes all of that into consideration — without sacrificing taste and ease of preparation. (That’s a must, of course!)
An upgraded dressing begs to be accompanied by a new-and-improved salad, right? And what could possibly improve upon the original, you ask? To that I simply answer: avocado and salted almonds. Now we have creamy, crunchy, sweet, AND salty!
Stay tuned, because next week I will give you a completely different salad that highlights this dressing while taking an entirely different spin. As an added bonus, it’s incredibly easy and hearty enough to be a complete meal.
I love to serve a hearty helping of this salad along with a piece of grilled chicken or salmon for a light but super satisfying meal.
Thanks to my friends at Stonyfield for the continued inspiration. A funny thing…
…When I opened the container of fresh greens from Taylor Farms, they had their own recipe for strawberry salad. I haven’t tried it yet, but be sure to comment if you do!
Yield: 4-6 servings
- 6 cups fresh butter lettuce, baby spinach, or mixed greens of choice
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced or quartered
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (roughly chopped salted almonds are a nice option)
- 1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
- Honey Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing (recipe follows)
- Optional: 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or feta cheese
- 1/3 cup (800g) low-fat plain Greek yogurt*
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar (white balsamic vinegar is a delicious option)
- 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
- 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
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For the salad:
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Toss all ingredients together with your desired amount of dressing until combined. Serve immediately.
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For the dressing:
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Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing will keep for approximately one week.
- For the dressing, I often use low-fat (2%) but have used fat-free and whole milk yogurt as well. You may prefer a touch more honey when using fat-free yogurt and a touch less when using whole milk. My goal is to use just enough honey to leave a hint of tartness. As always, feel free to tweak according to preferred level of sweetness.