Bright Spring Salad (Printable Version)

A vibrant mix of spring vegetables with herbs, feta, and pistachios in a bright lemon-basil vinaigrette.

# Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 bunch asparagus, tender parts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
02 - ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
03 - 2 radishes, thinly sliced
04 - ½ avocado, pitted and diced
05 - A few handfuls salad greens

→ Protein

06 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
07 - ½ cup roasted chickpeas
08 - ¼ cup chopped toasted pistachios

→ Dressing

09 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, or a mix of basil and mint leaves
10 - 1 small garlic clove
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 - ½ teaspoon lemon zest
13 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
14 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as desired
15 - ¼ teaspoon sea salt
16 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Fresh herbs for garnish (basil, mint and/or chives)

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch the asparagus for about 1 minute, or until tender but still bright green. Transfer to the ice water for 1 minute, then drain. Allow the asparagus to dry and transfer it back to the bowl and add the peas.
02 - In a food processor, pulse together the basil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, olive oil, and salt. Season to taste, adding more oil as desired.
03 - Add half of the dressing to the bowl with the asparagus and peas, then toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
04 - Arrange the salad greens on a platter, then layer the asparagus/pea mixture, the radishes, feta, avocado, pistachios, chickpeas, and herbs on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, season to taste with more salt and pepper, and serve.

# Notes:

01 - This bright spring salad is packed with seasonal vegetables and makes an ideal light meal or side dish.
02 - For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese or replace it with a plant-based alternative.
03 - Try different spring vegetables based on what's available at your market - sugar snap peas, green beans, or baby spinach all work well.

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