Strawberry Spring Salad with Lemon Roasted Chickpeas + Lemon Shallot Dressing
/Our 20-inch blanket of spring snow has almost vanished, so I celebrated with 2 pounds of strawberries and a salad. A salad that is light and refreshing, but filling. A salad studded with different textures and bright flavors. A salad perfect as a side, a whole meal, or for sharing with friends.
This dressing is a cinch to throw together and the ingredient list couldn’t be simpler. No blender or food processor needed, either. Just a jar to give it a good shake!
If you haven’t ventured into making your own salad dressings this is a great place to start. You will be amazed at the difference in quality + taste of homemade dressings. The best part is you can adapt the acid/oil/salt/pepper/sweetness exactly to your liking. I could go on + on about homemade salad dressings, but I’ll refrain and get right down to business.
It’s Monday, and I am imagining you don’t feel like reading an essay about this salad.
All I’ll say is that it’s worth putting on your menu for the week and is sure to snap you out of any salad funk you may be currently be in. Promise.
Lemon Roasted Chickpeas
gluten-free, vegan // yields 1 1/2 cups
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed + drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8-1/4 salt + pepper
- lemon zest, optional
- Preheat your oven to 350* F.
- Place chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the olive oil, salt + pepper until well coated.
- Spread in an even layer and roast for 15 minutes, stir, then roast again for another 15 minutes.
- Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and roast for another 5-15 minutes, until desired doneness has been reached.
- Taste and toss with more salt + pepper if desired. For a more fragrant lemon flavor toss with a small amount of fresh lemon zest. Let cool before placing on the salad.
Lemon Shallot Dressing
gluten-free, vegan-option // yields +1/2 cup
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey/agave
- 1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper
- Combine all ingredients in a jar, seal the jar, and shake vigorously to incorporate the honey.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve and shake before pouring. Flavors deepen as it sits.
Strawberry Spring Salad
gluten-free, vegan-option // yields +1/2 cup
- Arugula or baby greens mix
- Strawberries
- Avocado
- Sliced almonds, toasted
- Goat cheese
- Lemon chickpeas
- salt/pepper
- Place arugula in a large bowl and toss with desired amount of dressing.
- Sprinkle toppings over the greens or plate greens and serve with all toppings on the side for guests to assemble their own salads.
While spring weather may not be in full force we can at least pretend it is with our food.
Ashley
