As May approaches and spring is in full force, I’m finding excuses to walk everywhere, lugging my camera in tote. I have a blister and sore right shoulder to prove it! Tulips, daffodils, and cherry blossoms are in bloom, tiny green leaves sprout, I’m sneezing like crazy, and our car is a lovely shade of bird poop.
Here are a few of my favourite shots that I took over the past week.
In addition to going on lots of walks, salads also returned to my life after a somewhat rocky and distant relationship over the winter. All I can say is thank goodness for Green Monsters or my body might not have seen a leafy green from November ‘til March!
I’m finally craving things that look as pretty as it is outside.
This dressing is inspired by my Strawberry Cherry Basil Smoothie, after falling in love with the flavour combination last year. Into the processor went fresh strawberries and basil, along with fresh lemon juice, a touch of olive oil, pure maple syrup, fine grain sea salt, & black pepper. It’s healthy and light, yet creamy and indulgent tasting. Definitely my new go-to dressing!
I just spooned it into my mouth over and over while I questioned if making a salad was even necessary. Luckily, the salad took only a few minutes to throw together and I was rewarded with one of my favourite dishes of the season. I can’t think of a better way to welcome May, other than perhaps being surprised with a car wash…
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Spring Salad with Strawberry Lemon Basil Dressing
Yield
2/3 cup dressing
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tsp pure maple syrup, to taste
- fine grain sea salt & black pepper, to taste (I used 1/4 tsp each)
For the salad
- Slivered almonds, toasted
- shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
- mixed greens
- strawberries, chopped
- chiffonade fresh basil
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Toast the almonds for about 7-8 minutes and then remove and add the coconut. Toast another 2-4 minutes, or until lightly golden, watching closely so the coconut doesn’t burn.
- In a food processor, add the strawberries, basil, lemon juice, and oil. Process until smooth. Add in the salt, pepper, and maple syrup to taste and process again.
- Assemble the salad as desired. Leftover dressing should keep for at least a few days in a sealed container.
Congrats again to Jenny B. for winning the cookbook giveaway!
Love your new blog header!! So creative. And your spring pictures are beautiful – every year I’m so in awe of all the new growth and beauty everywhere that it’s like I’m experiencing spring for the very first time. Your salad + dressing combo sounds wonderful! And I love that little pitcher you have your dressing in – so adorable.
I made this tonight! I love strawberry and basil together, and I have a ton of lemons from my parents’ trees, so this was serendipitous! Loved it, my BF doesn’t even usually care about salad dressing but he was pleased with this too! So lovely and fresh.
Glad to hear that Megan!
That looks super yummy, I wouldn’t have thought to do a fruity dressing, your photos are awesome, Im so happy the weather is starting to get nicer in my area; so I can try this out.
I love spring and summer time food!!! The colors make me happy! I can’t wait to make this salad!
Lately I can’t get enough basil in my salads. I’ve been doing an Italian dressing/roasted red pepper/chickpea mix, but this looks good enough to shake me out of my rut! Strawberries are enough of a draw to get me to try almost anything!
OH. my. GOSH, Angela. I just made this salad… and at first, I didn’t understand how anyone could love any dressing so much that they would spoon it directly into their mouth—-until I found myself contemplating drinking the tart-basily-strawberry goodness. This is the BEST spring salad EVERRRR. I am so excited to have it for lunch tomorrow. You made my day! :D
haha I’m glad you see my point of view!!
Oh for the love of “yum!” I can’t wait to try this dressing. I’m on a cleanse right now and today is day one of two fasting days and it’s late– and I’m hungry. So this looks like a divine way to jump into a delicious bowl of yummy goodness come Wednesday. Now I’m counting the days!
Perfect Salad! I love strawberry salad!! The dressing sounds amazing!!
love it! Looks so good :)
I am probably a few days behind, but I LOVE your new header! And this salad dressing looks delicious.
~Emily~
Nope I just added it on the weekend :) Thank you!
This salad looks so yummy! Love it!
great photos! love the bird bums.
I’ve been sick and now I’m PMS-ing….and I have completely lost ALL motivation to workout and eat veggies. I had been doing SO well for about 7 weeks. I went to the gym or for a run EVERYDAY! And my veggie consumption was through the roof! Awesome.
Where or where has my motivation gone? Oh where oh where can it be? With it’s sugar cut short and it’s veggies cut long, oh where oh where can it be?
Those baby geeze are so cute! I can’t believe that after living in the GTA for around 8-9 years I’ve never seen them before :D So cute <3
Thanks for the recipe Angie! I was trying to come up with creative ways of incorporating strawberries into my life, and this is just the ticket! :)
What camera do you use, if you dont mind me asking?
Hey Mel, My camera info is on my FAQ page at the top of the blog: http://ohsheglows.com/faqs/#blogfaq question #10 :)
Yummmmy! It reminds me of Panera Bread’s strawberry poppyseed salad–so good….And I love those photos, especially that seagull! (?)
Oh that sounds so yummy. I just harvested some wild strawberry plants to add to my garden. I saved the recipe and will try it soon. Love salads! I really enjoy your photography too.
Made the dressing today, it was delish. And I agree, I am so drawn to this photo. Love it!!!!
I laughed when I saw this salad recipe as you must have sensed what I bought at the grocery store yesterday. I have all the needed ingredients so I can make this salad for dinner. I’ve made 3 of your other recipes in the past few days and they were all delicious. My father kept commenting on how tasty the strawberry lemondade was. Thank you!