I think my favorite part of spring is seeing fresh produce come back to my table with enthusiasm. And while there are few things as lovely as a fresh garden salad with tender greens, sometimes my world gets busy enough that I just don't have time to put one together for every meal. When my schedule seems overfull, I turn to heartier vegetables to build a solid salad that can stand up to refrigeration for a few days. Then I just spoon some out when it's time for lunch or dinner. Suddenly, getting all my vegetables (and fruits!) doesn't seem like a challenge at all!
The vegetables in this salad can be tweaked a bit, but the combination described below do a really good job of complementing flavors and textures. I highly recommend trying it as written below before you start to improvise. Also, choose a very crisp, sweet apple for this salad. You won't regret it!
This salad pairs beautifully with sandwiches (did I mention it's great with lunch?) and will make a great side dish for any grilled meat or seafood. For me, it is the perfect springtime salad and the color and flavor can't be beat. Mix some up today and congratulate yourself on eating well even when you're busy!
Broccoli Crunch Salad
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 large apples, chopped
- ⅓ cup sliced dry roasted almonds
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper, to taste
Combine the broccoli, carrots, red onion, apples, almonds, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
Whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
Add the dressing to the salad and toss well to coat. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes