Fuel Your Body: The Ultimate Colorful Superfood Spinach Salad Recipe for Vibrant Health
Are you searching for a meal that’s not just incredibly healthy but also bursting with flavor, texture, and visual appeal? Look no further! This Colorful Superfood Spinach Salad is designed to tick all your boxes, offering a satisfying and nutrient-dense experience with every bite. Packed with wholesome ingredients and elevated by our signature White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, this salad is destined to become your new favorite way to enjoy a vibrant, healthy meal. Eating well doesn’t mean sacrificing deliciousness; it simply means embracing a spectrum of colors, satisfying crunches, intriguing textures, and layers of incredible flavors.
The Power-Packed Ingredients of Your Colorful Superfood Spinach Salad
What makes this salad truly “super”? It’s the thoughtful combination of ingredients, each bringing its unique nutritional powerhouse to your bowl. We’ve carefully selected a variety of fresh produce, lean protein, and healthy fats to create a meal that not only fuels your body but also delights your taste buds. Let’s explore the incredible components:
- Spinach: A true leafy green hero, spinach is incredibly low in calories yet remarkably high in essential nutrients. It’s an excellent source of Vitamin C, vital for immune health, and rich in magnesium and potassium, which support muscle function and blood pressure regulation.
- Baby Kale: Offering a slightly peppery kick, baby kale is another nutritional superstar. It’s packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin A (crucial for vision and skin health), and calcium, contributing to strong bones.
- Roasted Butternut Squash: This naturally sweet and earthy vegetable adds a delightful depth of flavor and a soft texture. Butternut squash is low in calories, fiber-dense (aiding digestion), and an outstanding source of Vitamin A, particularly beta-carotene, an antioxidant that gives it its vibrant orange hue.
- Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds): Don’t let their small size fool you! Pepitas are tiny powerhouses of nutrition. They provide healthy fats, are fiber-dense, and offer a good source of plant-based protein, calcium, and iron. Roasting them adds an irresistible crunch and nutty flavor.
- Purple Cabbage: Beyond its stunning color, purple cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable rich in Vitamins C, K, and B6. Its distinctive purple color comes from anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory benefits. It also adds a wonderful crunch to the salad.
- Chickpeas: A staple in Mediterranean diets, chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber, promoting satiety and digestive health. They also provide folate, a crucial B vitamin.
- Quinoa: Often referred to as a “near-perfect food,” quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s also rich in fiber, minerals like magnesium and iron, and various antioxidants, making it an incredibly wholesome addition.
- Chicken Breast: For a lean and satisfying protein boost, shredded or sliced chicken breast is ideal. It’s low in fat and calories while providing essential amino acids for muscle repair and growth.
- Feta Cheese: A small amount of crumbled feta goes a long way in adding a tangy, salty punch of flavor that beautifully complements the other ingredients. It also contributes calcium.
- Avocado: Adding a creamy texture and a dose of healthy fats, avocado is rich in monounsaturated fats (beneficial for heart health) and potassium, an important electrolyte.
My personal journey into a low-carb Mediterranean diet has been a revelation, especially after discovering how easily delicious and satisfying healthy eating can be. Like many, I found myself accumulating a few extra pounds during quarantine, thanks to indulging in baking, homemade pizzas, and perhaps a bit too much wine. For me, it meant an extra inch around my waist that I was determined to shed. The beauty of the Mediterranean diet is that it emphasizes flavors I already adore, making it surprisingly easy to stick to. It has also opened up a world of culinary creativity in my kitchen, inspiring dishes like this incredible superfood salad.
Mastering the Art of Roasting Butternut Squash
Roasting butternut squash is a simple step that adds immense flavor and a delightful texture to this salad. The roasting process caramelizes its natural sugars, enhancing its sweetness and creating a tender-crisp exterior.
You have options when it comes to preparing butternut squash. Many grocery stores, like Trader Joe’s, now offer pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash, which is a fantastic time-saver. If you’re preparing it from scratch, carefully peel the squash, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then cube the flesh into bite-sized pieces.
To roast, simply place the peeled and cubed butternut squash on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spray or drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Roast in a preheated oven (around 400°F or 200°C) for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized. Allow it to cool completely before incorporating it into your salad to prevent wilting the greens.
Smart Shortcuts for Assembling This Delicious Salad with Ease
Eating healthy should never feel like a chore, and this superfood spinach salad is designed with convenience in mind. Here are some of my favorite shortcuts to make assembling this nutrient-packed meal quicker and simpler, proving that good food can be easy and still incredibly delicious:
- Pre-Washed Greens & Cabbage: Save precious time by purchasing pre-packaged and pre-washed baby kale, spinach, and shredded purple cabbage. These are ready to use straight from the bag, making your salad prep a breeze.
- Pre-Cut Butternut Squash: While I’ve shown you how to prepare your own, buying cleaned and cubed butternut squash is a wonderful shortcut that eliminates peeling and chopping.
- Batch Cook Quinoa: Quinoa is an excellent grain for meal prepping. Cook a larger batch at the beginning of the week and store it in the refrigerator. This way, it’s ready to add to salads, bowls, or as a side dish whenever you need it.
- Canned Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are truly a pantry hero. Always keep a few cans on hand. Just drain them well and rinse before adding to your salad. No soaking or boiling required!
- Cooked Chicken Breast: You can either buy pre-cooked chicken breast from your deli department or cook your own in advance. My go-to method for moist, perfectly cooked chicken is using an Instant Pot. You can also use grilled, poached, or baked chicken that you’ve prepared for other meals.
- Double Batch the Dressing: Make a double batch of my White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. This ensures you’ll have enough for today’s salad and a future meal, saving you time and effort later in the week.
One of the best and easiest things to cook in an Instant Pot is poached chicken. Here’s my simple method: I take a frozen chicken breast, place it in the Instant Pot with enough water to cover the chicken, set it to “Meat/Stew” on high pressure for 10 minutes, and then allow a natural release for another 10 minutes. The result is surprisingly moist and tender chicken that’s incredibly easy to shred. If you know me, you know that “easy” is a key ingredient in my kitchen philosophy. I firmly believe that good food can be both simple to prepare and absolutely delicious. While there are certainly days I enjoy spending hours in the kitchen, that should almost always be an optional indulgence. 😘
Now, let’s bring this magnificent bowl of goodness together! In a large serving bowl, start by laying down a generous base of spinach and baby kale – think two big handfuls of each. Then, artfully layer in all the remaining prepared ingredients: the sweet roasted butternut squash, nutty quinoa, crunchy purple cabbage, hearty chickpeas, creamy avocado, savory feta, and succulent shredded chicken. Finally, drizzle generously with the White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette and gently toss everything together until every ingredient is perfectly coated and glistening. The result is a vibrant explosion of flavors and textures that is truly amazing, or as I like to call it, “amaze-veg-balls!”
I confidently guarantee that once you create this Colorful Superfood Spinach Salad, you will be utterly hooked. Its balanced nutrition, incredible flavor profile, and satisfying components make it an irresistible choice. This versatile salad is also perfect for a variety of occasions: impress your guests at brunch, bring it as a standout dish to a BBQ, or incorporate it into your weekly meal planning for healthy lunches and dinners. It truly shines as a hearty main dish salad on its own. Give it a try, and please let me know your thoughts! If you fall in love with this salad, be sure to explore the inspiring salad recipes linked below for more delicious culinary adventures!
Inspired by this recipe? We’d love to see your creations! Make sure to mention us or tag us on Instagram. All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Colorful Superfood Spinach Salad
Ana | Claudia’s Table
March 2, 2021
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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Large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 container Kale baby
- 1 Spinach baby or regular
- Cabbage red, shredded
- Butternut squash roasted
- Pepitas roasted no salt
- Chickpeas canned, drained well
- Avocado sliced
- Feta crumbled
- Quinoa cooked
- Chicken breast shredded or sliced
- White Balsamic Honey Mustard Dressing see note
Instructions
Assembling the salad
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In a large bowl, place Spinach and Baby Kale first.
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Add about 1 cup of roasted butternut squash.
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Add about 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
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Add about 1/2 cup of shredded purple cabbage.
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Add about 1 cup of chickpeas.
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Add 1/3 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds (no salt).
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Add about 1 cup of poached, shredded, or sliced chicken breast.
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Add about 1/2 cup of crumbled Feta cheese.
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Add 1 ripe avocado, sliced.
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Add about 1/2 cup of White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, then toss gently to combine.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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