Every season, you guys know I get obsessed with one salad. ??‍♀️ 

Always a fan-girl of keeping things SIMPLE & super efficient, it then becomes my go-to for literally everything that season: busy work week lunches (if made ahead), quick dinners that don’t require tons of thought or planning, easy picnic nights, or bringing something good to friends houses).

Around here, it’s called #SALADING, and it’s definitely a verb.

Who’s with me?! It literally makes life so much easier. But it doesn’t mean you have eat the same exact meal, every single time (hello, boring).

A little tip? Every time you make it, you can tweak one little thing: a new addition or ingredient swap, a different protein, a different dressing, etc and it’s like a whole new meal. But in a non-chalant/don’t try too hard kind of way.

So, my ONE right now? This little Grilled Salmon Nicoise with Basil Dressing. She’s a shining star in the current Spring Meal Plan (see the full recipe list here).

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Makes 4 servings

Notes: Optional to add cooked turkey bacon here too, and a dollop of horseradish sauce if you want! Also optional to cook the salmon, potatoes, eggs and green beans ahead of time, or use smoked salmon to skip a step. If you have never smoked any type of meat, learn to properly smoke meat here. 

2 hard boiled eggs

8-10 olives, pitted and sliced

1 avocado, sliced

½ lb green beans, trimmed

2 cups baby potatoes, halved

3 roma tomatoes, seeds scooped out and diced

1 large piece wild salmon

4-6 cups butter lettuce or mixed greens

1 cup fresh chopped herbs (like basil, parsley and chives)

Preheat oven (or grill) to 400 or medium-high heat, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place fish on top, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

In the meantime, fill a  large stockpot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and eggs, and cook until you can easily poke the potatoes with a fork, approximately 5-7 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, add green beans.

Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain potatoes and green beans of extra water, and add to a medium bowl. Drizzle green beans and potatoes with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and set aside as they cool.

Next, prep the Daily Basil Dressing: 

Sarah’s Daily Basil Dressing

Makes 4 servings

Notes: I love keep this one in the fridge, and building on it as the week goes by. Want a thicker pesto dressing? Just add a few handfuls of nuts and grated cheese and blend, or try one or the other. Also amazing with any other extra herbs, or made with garlic infused olive oil

4 cups/2 oz fresh basil leaves

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil or garlic infused olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or ½ lemon, juiced)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Add all dressing ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. Store any extra in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.

For the salad:

Wash and prep lettuce and add to a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss well to combine.

Add diced tomatoes, olives, and avocado to the bowl, organizing in sections for a fun presentation. When ready, add potatoes, salmon, green beans and eggs.

Sprinkle all with fresh chopped herbs, and serve!

Other fun seasonal recipes that go great with this one?

The GF Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

The Dill Feta & Garbanzo Bean Salad

The Quinoa Stuffed Baked Tomatoes

The Life Changing Lentil Basil Salad

.

Love this recipe? You’d love the cookbook then too. And be sure to check out the seasonal meal plans (or the new easy DINNER ONLY plan)! Wanna know more about this real-food lifestyle made simple I always talk about? Be sure to check out this little podcast workshop I created for you, called: Simply Real FOOD: Real food, finally explained. Check it out here!