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Honey Basil Vinaigrette with a Simple Spring Salad

April 6, 2020 By lovecheflaura 3 Comments

honey-basil vinaigrette with a spring salad

Honey Basil Vinaigrette with a Simple Spring Salad is the perfect salad to serve with your Easter dinner. This salad is full of healthy spring vegetables with a slightly sweet vinaigrette. The vinaigrette which contains only four ingredients, is a simple and tasty go-to salad dressing.

spring vegetable salad with vinaigrette
honey-basil vinaigrette in a bowl

I am so happy spring is finally here and Easter is right around the corner! This past winter I was making my Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing quite often. Although I love that dressing, it’s definitely heavier compared to a vinaigrette. I am the type of person that hunkers down in the winter eating all the heavy and cozy foods. Once spring hits, my diet starts to involve more fresh produce and lighter meals. I have been making this easy vinaigrette recipe nonstop. It’s sweet, light and slightly floral from the basil. It is exactly what I would imagine spring tasting like.

I love using pouring this dressing on a simple spring salad like in the recipe but recently I’ve been using it on top of of a watermelon salad. I place cubed watermelon, toasted pumpkin seeds, radish sprouts, sliced avocado and a drizzle of this vinaigrette on top. It is so incredibly refreshing! That’s just what I love about this vinaigrette. It’s sweet and lemony and goes great with a variety of salads.

A couple notes about Honey Basil Vinaigrette:

Vegan option:

This recipe uses honey which is obviously not vegan. If you would like to make this dressing vegan, I recommend using maple syrup instead of the honey. Please note that the maple syrup will darken the color of the vinaigrette and will have a slight smokey flavor but it will still taste great!

spring vegetable salad with salad tongs and vinaigrette

Looking for more salad dressing recipes? Make sure to check out my Winter Rainbow Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing !

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Spring Salad with Honey-Basil Vinaigrette

Healthy spring fresh vegetable salad with a sweet Honey-Basil Vinagrette
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people and 1 cup dressing

Ingredients

For the Honey-Basil Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, firmly packed
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

For the Spring Salad:

  • 3 large handfuls spring mix
  • 1 large handful sprouts such as radish or broccoli sprouts
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
  • 2-3 radishes such as red radishes or watermelon radishes
  • 1 large handful spring peas
  • 1/4 cucumber, sliced
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced

Instructions

For the Honey-Basil Vinaigrette:

  • Combine the basil, honey, lemon juice, salt and black pepper in a blender and blend on low to medium speed for 30 seconds
  • While the blender is running on low, slowly pour the olive oil in making sure not to pour too fast. The dressing will emulsify and pouring too quickly will break the dressing separating the ingredients
  • Once the dressing is done, either save to pour on top of the spring salad or place in an airtight glass container and store in the refridgerator for later use

For the Spring Salad:

  • To blanch the peas: Bring a small amount of water to a boil on the stove top. Once the water is boiling, add the spring peas and cook for 1 minute. While the peas are cooking, place a few ice cubes in a bowl with some cold water. Set the bowl aside. Once the peas are cooked, place them in the ice water bath for 10-20 seconds. This process is called blanching and will "shock" the peas to retain their bright green color
  • In a large salad bowl, layer the sprnig mix on the bottom and then the sprouts. Add the sliced carrots, sliced cucumbers and radishes
  • Sprinkle the salad with the toasted pumpkin seeds, the spring peas, and place the sliced avocado on top
  • Right before serving, add the dressing and toss

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Filed Under: Condiment, Recipes, Side Dishes Tagged With: Condiment, Dairy free, Gluten free, Grain free, Main dish, Paleo, Sugar free, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Geri says

    April 20, 2020 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    This vinaigrette is a snap to make and the bright, fresh flavor is really delicious! So nice to have a new favorite salad dressing!

    Reply
    • lovecheflaura says

      April 23, 2020 at 7:28 am

      Thanks Geri! It’s a favorite in our house as well 🙂

      Reply
  2. Margaret says

    April 28, 2020 at 8:18 pm

    5 stars
    I loved the dressing and all the fresh vegetables!

    Reply

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Hello! I’m Laura and welcome to Love Chef Laura- a mix of grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free recipes.                Click here to learn more about me!

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Yes, I know it's still winter. Yes, I know these F Yes, I know it's still winter. Yes, I know these Frozen Yogurt Bars are well, frozen. BUT! That sunshine in northern Michigan today has got me feeling ready for summer! Anyone else? ☀️😎⁠⠀
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Grab the recipe through the link in my profile!⁠⠀
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Food has always been a big part of my life startin Food has always been a big part of my life starting at a young age. 

My parents would come downstairs on Saturday mornings and I’d have the Food Network on taking notes while I watched Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, and Guadalupe de Launrentiis. I was 7 or 8 years old. 

My grandpa, who would take me walleye and pike fishing in Canada and will still take the long hikes in the woods with me every spring to find as many morels as possible is who I owe my love of food to. 

From a young age, I remember my grandpa collecting maple sap in cut off milk jugs and then boiling that sap over an open fit pot behind his pull barn until it boiled down to maple syrup. We were so excited to get those pints of maple syrup every March. 

While I wrote this section about my family’s food traditions for SELF Magazine, I had a smile from ear to ear. Aside from loving the craft of making maple syrup, which is now a tradition my brother and I carry on, writing this article made me remember WHY I love wild food and why I chose this path. 

I hope you enjoy reading all of the family traditions in this article and it will inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook 👩🏻‍🍳

Read the full article through the link in my profile!
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#chef #cooking #baking #culinaryarts #maplesyrup #wildfood #family #familytraditions #food #foodie #yummy #foodstagram #delicious #homemade #foodlover #kitchen #cheflife #foodblogger #eat #dinner #love #tasty #healthyfood #homecooking #recipe #healthy #cookingathome #cuisine #recipes #lovecheflaura
I get asked a lot about what type of 'diet' I'm on I get asked a lot about what type of 'diet' I'm on. I don't mind the word diet because that is literally the definition of what you consume every day. Diet also has a negative connotation of reducing your caloric intake and restricting foods.⁠⠀
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I hear quite often that we should never remove foods from our diet and it's all about balance. If you can eat everything in moderation, then you will be fine. Someone who is on a Paleo diet will end up sick because beans and grains are healthy. A vegan will have a vitamin B12 deficiency because we need animal protein. If you don't consume dairy, you will end up with osteoporosis. The list goes on. ⁠⠀
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When we say things like that, we don't consider cultural influence, family traditions, or potential medical conditions a person has. THERE IS NOT A SINGLE DIET OUT THERE THAT IS A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.⁠⠀
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When I eat dairy, I will vomit. This happened to me for years and I never once thought my body was trying to tell me something. The same thing happens when I eat fried food because I don't digest fats well. I also react highly to soy, peanuts, and randomly, turnips. ⁠When I eat fresh fruit, my throat closes up and I break out in hives on my face. ⁠⠀
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When I share information about myself or about a specific diet I am on, it's not to say what you are consuming is bad and you need to eat the way I do. Do I think there's major power in food and what we put into our bodies? Hell yeah, I do. I eat the way I do because of taste preference and mainly because THIS IS WHAT WORKS FOR MY BODY. ⁠⠀
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See, I have given endless amounts of blood, urine, and saliva to really fine-tune what foods are fueling my body and what foods are causing pain and inflammation. I never recommend removing a food group without intention and with a goal in mind and under the care of a physician or dietitian. ⁠⠀
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So maybe we need to chill out on judging others for their dietary preference. I share what I eat and my diet because it works for me. I don't share with the intention of you changing your life to follow what I do or to shame you. I share because maybe it will spark a conversation with your doctor and you can also find relief in symptoms ⁠❤️
You guys have watched me make this Maple Cumin Vin You guys have watched me make this Maple Cumin Vinaigrette a lot lately. It's seriously one of my favorite salad dressings ever! I typically pour it over a big bowl of leafy greens but I have been experimenting with it on other foods. I used it as a dipping sauce on roasted sweet potatoes the other day... 🤯⁠⠀
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Grab the full recipe for this Root Vegetable Salad with Maple Cumin Vinaigrette through the link in my profile!⁠⠀
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#saladrecipes #easyrecipes #healthyrecipes #paleo #paleolifestyle #healthylifestyle #glutenfree #dairyfree #grainfree #vegetarian #vegan #plantbased #health #healthy #wellness #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicpain #chronicpainwarrior #spoonielife #rheumatoidarthritis #hashimotosthyroiditis #hashimotos #thekitchn #thefeedfeed #foodblogfeed #buzzfeedfood #huffposttaste #foodblogging #lovecheflaura @thefeedfeed @tastemade @
I don't pray for healing. I pray healing. Do you s I don't pray for healing. I pray healing. Do you see the difference? And no, it's not a typo. ⁠⠀
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I saw my craniosacral therapist last week and she told me something that really struck a chord. We were discussing where she grew up in Colorado. Forest fires were common and came every year. She told me the story of a local Native American tribe that knew the fires would come each year and instead of praying for rain, they prayed rain. The rain would come, the lands would be wet again and vegetation would grow.⁠⠀
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If you don't see the difference yet, let me explain. When we pray FOR something, it means we do not possess it. The meaning of FOR: indicate the person or thing that something is sent or given to.⁠⠀
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When we remove the simple word 'for' we are saying we already possess it. When I pray, I pray healing. I pray pain-free, I pray peace, I pray balance. Because I already possess all of those. It's a mindset shift. When we believe something to be true, it will happen. ⁠⠀
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So the next time you pray, don't pray FOR whatever you want, pray as if you already have it. 💛⁠⠀
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#autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #autoimmunewarrior #chronicpainwarrior #invisibleillness #chronicpain #spoonielife #rheumatoidarthritis #hashimotos #autoimmunecooking #autoimmunerecipes #autoimmunechefe #AIP #paleo #paleolifestyle #health #wellness #healing #craniosacraltherapy #CST #community #lovecheflaura
HASH BROWN SANDWICH BREAD⁠ 🍞⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I d HASH BROWN SANDWICH BREAD⁠ 🍞⁠⠀
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I don’t really know what to call this recipe besides Hash Brown Sandwich Bread. I mean, it's literally a hash brown made in a waffle maker and used as sandwich bread 😂⁠⠀
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This recipe has only one ingredient and is gluten-free, grain-free, and vegan! It has been a game-changer for me to have this sandwich bread since being on a grain-free diet 🙌🏻⁠⠀
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Aside from a new recipe, I discuss whether or not grains are healthy, and if you should incorporate them into your daily diet. Check out my blog post for this recipe and why grains cause so many gastrointestinal issues and ways to help make grains more easily digestible. ⁠⠀
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#sandwich #sandwichbread #grainfreediet #potatorecipes #againstallgrain #glutenfree #dairyfree #paleo #vegan #plantbased #easyrecipes #healthyrecipes #healthy #healthylifestyle #wellness #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicpain #chronicpainwarrior #spoonielife #rheumatoidarthritis #hashimotos #thekitchn #thefeedfeed #foodblogfeed #buzzfeedfood #huffposttaste #f52grams #lovecheflaura @foodblogfeed @thekitchn @todayfood @todayfood @tastemade⁠⠀
Yup. Here's another cold smoothie recipe 😂 But Yup. Here's another cold smoothie recipe 😂 But this one has some warming spices added to it!⁠⠀
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Chai Charger Smoothie can be enjoyed any time of the year but it’s my favorite in the cold winter months! It has a base of nut milk and banana with strongly brewed chai tea as a pick me up. A bit of cinnamon and dates add sweetness while the almond butter makes the smoothie thick and creamy.⁠⠀
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If you're nut-free or can't have almonds, cashew butter or pepita butter are great substitutions! ⁠⠀
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Grab the full recipe through the link in my profile!⁠⠀
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HEALTHY CITRUS BREAKFAST BOWL⁠ 🍊⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ HEALTHY CITRUS BREAKFAST BOWL⁠ 🍊⁠⠀
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A weird and random fact about me is I'm allergic to a lot of fresh fruits. The months following Christmas are some of my favorite because it's citrus season! Fresh citrus is one of the few fruits that don't close up my throat. 🙌🏼 I love tangerines and mandarins and of course, grapefruit. My family and I add them to nearly every breakfast and eat them as a snack as often as possible.⁠⠀
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This Citrus Breakfast Bowl has been one of my new favorites to snack on. It is made of unsweetened yogurt and homemade chia seed pudding and topped with all sorts of fresh citrus fruit like tangerines, blood oranges, and grapefruit. A sprinkle of bee pollen, flaxseeds, and a drizzle of honey finishes the bowl.⁠ 🤩⁠⠀
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Grab the recipe through the link in my profile!⁠⠀
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#breeakfastbowl #healthybreakfast #breakfast #health #healthy #wellness #vegan #plantbased #paleo #glutenfree #grainfree #dairyfree #easyrecipe #healthyrecipe #rheumatoidarthritis #spoonielife #chronicillness #invisibleillness #chronicpainwarrior #autoimmunedisease #autoimmunewarrior #heealthylifestyle #paleolifestyle #thekitchn #buzzfeedfood #foodblogfeed #thefeedfeed #lovecheflaura @thefeedfeed @todayfood @foodblogfeed
By the look of most of my recent posts, I'm all ab By the look of most of my recent posts, I'm all about the cold recipes right now. I'm probably subconsciously missing summer. I know we have like four months to go, but I could use a little sunshine right now! ☀️⁠⠀
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The base of this Coffee Smoothie is bananas but you can add or use frozen zucchini or frozen cauliflower for an added veggie kick. You can even add. some protein powder or collagen peptides for added protein. 💪🏼⁠⠀
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The smoothie is naturally sweetened with dates and the coffee and cacao powder add the perfect amount of caffeine for a little pick me up. It reminds me of a Starbucks Frappuccino or a frozen mocha without being overly sweet and without the sugar crash. ⁠⠀
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Anyone else ready for some warm weather? Let me know in the comments below! 🏝️☀️⁠⠀
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Grab the full recipe through the link in my profile!⁠⠀
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#smoothie #smoothierecipes #breakfast #health #healthy #paleo #paleolifestyle #vegan #plantbased #dairyfree #glutenfree #grainfree #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #rheumatoidarthritis #hashimotosthyroiditis #autoimmunewarrior#spoonielife #chronicpain #chronicillness #invisibleillness #nutrition #recovery #thekitchn #buzzfeedfood #huffposttaste #foodblogfeed ##thefeedfeed #lovecheflaura @foodblogfeed @thefeedfeed ⁠⠀
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