Spring Pea Spring Salad

This salad is bright, refreshing, and full of seasonal spring veggies. It takes about five minutes to whip up and is perfect as a side salad at dinner or for lunch, with some added quinoa, chicken, or tofu to fill you up!

I love everything about spring: the rolling green hills, the flowers in bloom, the longer days, and the seasonal vegetables and fruits! Yesterday morning, I saw spring peas at almost every stand at the Farmer’s Market and I decided that I should probably pick some up! Spring peas or sugar snap peas are naturally sweet and perfect for snacking on raw, adding to salads or stir frys, featuring in a risotto dish, or made into a spring soup. Plus, these green, vibrant veggies are loaded with health benefits!

Ingredients

4 handfuls of salad greens - I used arugula and red leaf lettuce
4 large radishes (or 6-8 small ones), sliced thinly into rounds or matchsticks
1 ½ cups of snap peas, washed and chopped into ½ inch pieces
2 avocados, diced
½ cup of loosely packed mint leaves, chopped

For the dressing:

1 tsp dijon mustard
Juice from 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper

Tip: When almost finished with your jar of dijon mustard, make dressing in jar and shake well

Directions:

Make dressing by combining all ingredients and mixing well (with a whisk or by shaking in a jar). Adjust seasoning as needed. Add a tsp of water if you desire a looser consistency.
Assemble salad in a large bowl, add dressing and toss

Health Benefits of Snap Peas:

They are high in vitamin C, which boosts our immune systems
They are high in dietary fiber, which helps control cholesterol and blood-glucose levels, while aiding in digestion and helping to keep you feeling full
They are a great source of vitamins A (boost eyesight) and K (boosts bone cell growth)
One cup contains 18 percent of the daily recommended intake of dietary iron

Sources and additional reading: