I hated salads for a long time. But it turns out I just got them wrong. Salads aren’t just about lettuce, oh no no my friend. Salads are about allllll the other things that go into them. Fruit, vegetables, herbs, crispy toppings, spices and of course the dressing. The veggies are just another vessel for extra nutrition and sometimes flavor, which is why I almost always use arugula in salads. You can use any green you like, just know I’m in the right place so you might as well trust me. This salad is FILLED with textures and flavors and colors. And that’s what we want from food. We want it to feel like a beautiful life instead of a beige and boring existence. Did I really only use food to explain the meaning of life? Of course I have, I’m a Taurus.
Now this salad has some crunchy things on top and these ingredients are an absolute must. First you have crispy chickpeas. As you’ve seen by now, I like to include some type of bean in most meals. I’m not a big garbanzo or garbanzo type because I think most other beans are better, but I think they go really well in this salad. Second, crispy mung beans. Now I know what you’re thinking: “I know exactly what he’s talking about. I sprout mung beans on a damp paper towel in my desk drawer. Very nutritious, but they smell like death.” If you don’t know where that line came from, hop off. Actually make my prescription first and then out. And please don’t think it will smell like death as I am telling you to add mung beans to your dish. These crunchy mung beans are sooooo darn good in salads, and they’re packed with protein, just like chickpeas! And don’t forget the pine nuts. You can really use any type of nut you prefer, as pine nuts are quite expensive compared to other nuts, but pine nuts are pretty much perfect when it comes to flavoring this dish. My point is don’t ignore the crunchy stuff. Don’t ignore the herbs. And don’t you dare ignore the seasonal strawberries, you monster.
Strawberry Summer Salad
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 portions 1x
- 5 ounces arugula
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced and grated
- 1 cup Strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup basil leaves
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup crispy chickpeas
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup crispy mung beans
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free soft cheese*
- black pepper, to taste
For the dressing
instructions
- Now get this. Ready?
- Put all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.
- Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a glass. Cover to seal and shake well.
- Pour your preferred amount of dressing over the salad and toss it all together. Serve immediately. Store leftover dressing in the fridge.
- You did it you superstar!
Remarks
*I prefer Treeline soft cheese
What I used to make this recipe:
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Strawberry Bacon Arugula Salad
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Strawberry Poppy Chicken Salad
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