Strawberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
As warmer weather approaches, I have been creating more salads. This colorful salad is made with crunchy spring mix, crisp cucumbers, fresh red strawberries, and perfectly ripe avocado. To top it all off, it is paired with a homemade citrus poppyseed dressing and garnished with purple chive blossoms.
This is totally optional, but I added some grilled balsamic chicken strips on top to give it some extra oomph!
Light & Sweet
Honey, fresh lime juice, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, and poppy seeds make up this light and sweet dressing.
Last week was a blur! Monday through Wednesday was spent studying for my final internship exam, Thursday we were driving to the UT Martin campus (5-6 hour drive from Knoxville), and Friday was final exam day + graduation. I am probably raising some eyebrows as I say this, but yes, our final exam and graduation were in the same day— no pressure or anything. (haha)
Needless to say, we were exhausted and spent most of our weekend getting some much-needed rest! I don’t know about you, but when I am feeling lazy, an easy salad like this just hits different. My husband is not a huge salad person, but even he had some, too!
So, the first day of summer is technically not until June, but you can literally tell a difference in grocery produce as the warmer weather progresses. These strawberries were wonderfully ripe and bright red throughout! Perfectly sweet and they add a beautiful pop of color.
For the avocado, I will usually buy a green one and patiently wait for it to ripen at home. I am personally terrified of choosing a black one from the grocery store that’s seen better days. However, if you are confident in your avo picking, more power to you!
I used mini cucumbers for this salad because the peel is super tender and when sliced, it comes out in perfect bite-sized pieces. If your local grocery store does not carry mini cucumbers, you can sub with an English Cucumber. The outside skin is similarly tender, and it has a more delicate flavor than an American Cucumber.
As I said, the grilled balsamic chicken is optional, but if you are having this as a meal, it pairs perfectly and is a great way to bump up the satiety factor. ;)
Strawberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Ingredients
3-4 cups spring mix
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 avocado
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon light-flavored olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
Add spring mix, sliced strawberries, sliced cucumbers, cranberries, and sliced avocado to a large salad mixing bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together honey, lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, poppy seeds, and Dijon mustard.
Pour poppyseed dressing over salad and gently toss. Enjoy!
*Optional toppings: grilled balsamic chicken strips, chive blossoms