(Family Features) The spring season brings to mind flowers blooming and plants springing back to life, making it the ideal time to enjoy fresh produce in meals throughout the day. Salads are of course one of the easiest ways to combine the flavors of your favorite fruits and veggies, but you can take your greens to the next level with refreshing recipe ideas.

Creating a cool, satisfying salad can be easy when you start with quality ingredients like Fresh Express salad blends, NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes and Litehouse dressings for versatile bases in a nearly endless array of options. For example, salads aren’t limited to lunch or appetizers – this Breakfast Salad Bowl makes for an energizing start to the day by combining classic salad ingredients with quinoa, bacon and avocado.

Perfect for those busy weeknights, heartier salad recipes can also provide quick, simple dinner options. As a more traditional mix to enjoy at the family table, this Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl brings together salmon, tomatoes and chickpeas on a bed of lettuce topped with ranch dressing.

Find more ways to create hearty salads this spring at litehousefoods.com/iheartsalad.

Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl

Servings: 2

  • 4          ounces salmon
  • 2          tablespoons paprika, divided
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 15        ounces chickpeas
  • 2          tablespoons olive oil
  • 2          ounces Fresh Express Sweet Butter Lettuce
  • 1          cup red quinoa, cooked
  • 6          ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes
  • 2          tablespoons Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing
  1. Heat oven to 350° F. Sprinkle salmon with 1 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake on lined baking sheet 15 minutes, or until it reaches desired doneness.
  2. In bowl, toss chickpeas in olive oil and remaining paprika; add salt and pepper, to taste. Add chickpeas to lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 F 30-40 minutes.
  3. Add lettuce to plate or bowl. Top with quinoa, chickpeas, salmon and tomatoes. Drizzle with ranch dressing.

Breakfast Salad Bowl

Servings: 2

  • 10        ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes
  • 2          tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2          ounces Fresh Express Baby Spinach
  • 1          egg
  • 2          bacon strips, halved
  • 1          cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1/2       avocado, sliced
  • 2          tablespoons Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
  1. Heat oven to 400° F. Toss tomatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake tomatoes on lined baking sheet 40 minutes.
  2. In skillet, add remaining olive oil and cook baby spinach until wilted, stirring as necessary.
  3. Cook egg as desired. Remove egg from skillet and set aside. Add bacon to skillet and cook until crispy, turning halfway through.
  4. In bowl, layer quinoa, bacon, avocado, egg, spinach and tomatoes. Drizzle with jalapeno ranch dressing.


SOURCE:
Litehouse