Helloooo to everything-possible-spring in one bowl.

We’re taking strawberries (the first of the season!) radishes, spring greens, and a crazy good green goddess dressing recipe packed with fresh herbs like parsley, chives, and basil. It’s a crowd-pleaser, perfect for sunny gatherings, and absolutely addictive.

Because Portland has had major spring vibes in the past few days, I’ve been craving raw food again. It’s so funny how the transition of seasons immediately makes me want to shift my diet too. All winter long, my husband and I subsided on tons of roasted vegetables, hearty bowls of chili, and lots and lots of crockpot meals. Now that the days are longer and sunnier, I suddenly crave cooling raw foods, grilled goodness (can’t get enough of grilled salmon and veggies right now), and light and bright bites. Of course, your girl still loves her roasted sweet potatoes and broccolini – so we won’t see that stopping anytime soon.

One of my favorite parts of this salad (besides the to-die-for dairy-free green goddess dressing) are the slices of fresh, snappy radishes. Radishes are a cutie Brassica veg (part of the same family as cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts) packed with nutrition, specifically vitamin C. Just half a cup of radishes offers about 14 percent of your recommended daily allowance – FYI. They’re also a source of potassium, B vitamins including folate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and phosphorus. Like other Brassica veggies, radishes contain beneficial antioxidant compounds thought to reduce free radical damage and protect cells.

The other favorite in this recipe? Redwood Hill Farm’s plain goat milk yogurt, which adds the perfect tang and zip to the green goddess dressing. Rich in protein, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals (hello calcium!), goat milk yogurt is a delicious dairy-free swap for regular cow’s milk yogurt. Bonus: goat milk doesn’t contain A1 casein – the type of protein that many people are sensitive to in regular dairy products – and is instead abundant in A2 casein (the kind of protein found in human breast milk!). This means that if you have a sensitivity to cow’s milk dairy, you may be able to tolerate goat’s milk dairy. Of course, talk to your primary care physician or nutritionist first to see if this swap will work for you!

Sprinkled with a delicious seed mixture (packed with all of the good fats noted to be cardio-protective) and dotted with fresh spring berries, this simple salad is sure to become a favorite for sunny days!

Spring Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Serves 4-6 + extra dressing

Ingredients:

Green Goddess Dressing:

1 egg yolk*
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
¾ cup Redwood Hill Farm plain goat milk yogurt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup parsley
3 Tbsp. fresh chives
3 Tbsp. fresh basil
2 tsp. anchovy paste**
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Spring Salad:

4-6 large handfuls spring greens of choice (arugula, romaine, spinach, spring mix)
½ cup radishes, sliced (I used a mixture of watermelon radish and Easter egg radishes)
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced
½ cup raspberries

Seed Mixture:

¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

Directions:

Prepare the dressing first: add all dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Add spring greens to a large salad bowl. Add berries, radishes, and chickpeas.

Prepare seed mixture: combine equal parts hemp seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. Mix to combine.

Make the salad: Drizzle some (not all!) of the green goddess dressing over the salad. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with seed mixture. Dish out and enjoy!

Notes:

-No egg yolk? Swap with 3 Tbsp. avocado mayo*
-Skipping anchovy paste? Use white miso instead for a punch of umami flavor**
-Green Goddess dressing recipe adapted from TheKitchn
-This post is sponsored by Redwood Hill Farm – who makes the most incredible goat milk yogurts. Thank you for supporting brands who support vegukate!