My walkway has strawberry plants creeping all along the edges. Little white strawberry flowers have just opened, pressing their way sky-ward. In the early Summer, I get to pluck the tiny strawberries from these winding plants. Too precious for pie. Best eaten raw and warm from sunlight.

I notice how, year after year, the sense of seasonal preciousness fades. Violets stick out their purple-white tongues. Dandelions shake out their yellow manes. I watch a wasp with one wing spin desperately on the sidewalk. Electric pink tulip petals curl, fall and crumple like forgotten skirts in the grass. The cherry tree is wind-swept -- the last of the white cherry blossoms huddling together in solidarity.

I can't help but see metaphor in flora and fauna. My human mind is designed for story in this way. The broken wasp is not just a wasp, it's us -- struggling against the injustice of this world. The cherry blossom is beauty incarnate, breathtaking, illuminating... then gone.

In this way I spend my time hanging out on my front stoop, watching the gorgeous chaos of nature weave itself into a tapestry of story. On some days it's just my yard, with that bush over there and that wonky patch of grass. But other days, it's full of wonder. Bumblebees mistake me for sugar-laden buds, lingering curiously around my feet and ankles. A bowl of this strawberry salad in my hands.  Mockingbirds catch insects in their mouths. An orange-striped cat slinks through the yard. And the painfully romantic sound of the violin being practiced by our neighbor slinks its way into my eardrum.

I love to find beauty in simple things. And in that way, this simple strawberry salad is really something special. It's wonderfully relaxed. Fresh, lemony, creamy and bright.

Baby greens meet silky carrot ribbons and sweet strawberries. The hemp dressing is rich in protein and anti-inflammatory omega 3’s. And it's a snap to whip up.

Flavor-wise, this salad is most like a springy take on a classic Caesar salad. Albeit lighter, more lemony and omitting the anchovy element. So, Caesar salad meets full on spring vibes! You might even grate some fresh parmesan overtop if you're not vegan. That really kicks it up to the next level!

When I made this I crushed two bowls to myself for a light lunch, then saved the rest to go alongside a lentil-heavy veggie burger for dinner. It was the most pleasant way to use up my first CSA box full of spring lettuces, baby kale and pea shoots! I think I'll make this strawberry salad and some stacked greenie sandwiches for a chill picnic some day this week. Spring is hands down my favorite season for eating outdoors. No bugs, sunshine and the scent of flowers filling the air. What could be better?

I hope you enjoy this recipe, friends! And, hey, if you'd like to join me for a hangout on Nom.com tomorrow 3/20 at 3pm EST I'll be making some fabulous fig almond cocoa cookies LIVE! See you there!

Strawberry Salad with Spring Greens and Lemony Hemp Dressing (Vegan)

Created by Renee on April 18, 2016

The perfect light salad to celebrate spring! Tote it along to your next cookout, bring it with you on a sun-drenched picnic or scarf it all yourself for a killer raw lunch!

• Prep Time: 10m
•  
• Total Time: 10m

Ingredients

• 5 -6 cups baby spring greens (pea shoots, butter lettuce, baby kale)
• 4 -5 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, tops removed and halved
• 3 -6 small butter radishes, tops removed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon hemp hearts + more to top the salad
• 1 tablespoon sunflowers seeds
• 1 medjool date, pitted
• juice of 1 lemon (approx. 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked + more to top the salad as you like
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt + more to taste

Instructions

1. Fill a large salad bowl with your greens. Using a mandoline or sharp peeler, shred the carrots into long thin ribbons. Discard the thick centers (or chop them up and throw them in the salad as well, it’s up to you). Add the carrots to your salad bowl along with your strawberries and radishes.
2. To the bowl of a high powered blender, add your hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, date, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, water, black pepper, garlic powder and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour the dressing over your salad and toss to combine. To serve, top with a more hemp hearts and a couple cracks of black pepper. Enjoy!