Healthy Spring Salad Recipes

This makeover of a Midwestern classic tops layers of lettuce, peas, bell pepper and tomatoes with a creamy, tangy dressing. The salad stays fresh underneath until it's served and gets even better when held overnight.

Yes, blueberries and pasta. The addition of poached chicken and feta cheese makes this dish into a light and satisfying summer supper that's also great for a potluck. If you already have some leftover chicken, skip Step 1 and add shredded chicken in Step 4.

Combine steak, walnuts, blueberries and feta cheese in this simple salad and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying supper. Serve with grilled baguette and a glass of rosé.

An unusual and rich flavor combination; serve this salad with sliced tomato on a bed of lettuce or on French bread.

Salmon and lentils are a familiar combo in French bistro cooking; here they combine in a quick and easy salad. For the best presentation, flake the salmon with a fork, then stir gently into the salad to keep it in chunks, not tiny bits.

Like many spinach salads, this one features lots of chopped-up hard-boiled egg. But since most of the calories in an egg are in the yolk, this recipe uses just two whole eggs, plus the whites from six additional eggs, for a satisfying spinach salad that keeps the calories in check.

Quintessential Greek flavors--feta, lemon and dill--combine perfectly in this hearty salad. To complete the Mediterranean mood, try pairing it with a Greek Retsina or a Portuguese Vinho Verde.

Crisp pears are tossed with Cheddar cheese and pecans in this delicious salad. For an Italian twist, try a good Parmesan with some toasted pine nuts or to go British use crumbled Stilton and toasted walnuts.

This main-dish chicken salad has bright flavors of tarragon in a creamy blue cheese dressing with just a touch of sweetness from honey.

Serve this Middle Eastern-inspired salad with whole-wheat pitas and melon wedges.

This lively salad captures the essence of early summer with ripe strawberries, chives and baby spinach. To make it a meal, top it with grilled chicken breast.

Try this fruit-and-nut-studded couscous salad alongside grilled salmon or chicken for supper or on its own for a fresh lunchbox treat.

This warm spinach-and-beet salad is inspired by a dish from Penny Cluse Café in Burlington, Vermont. If you have cooked beets on hand, you can have it ready in just a few minutes.

This whole-grain wild rice and quinoa salad recipe is perfect for toting to summer potlucks. It features sweet cherries, crunchy celery, nutty aged goat cheese and toasted pecans. If you can find red quinoa, it's particularly pretty.

Toss roasted vegetables and salmon with a flavor-packed vinaigrette to serve on top of greens for a hearty dinner salad. For a twist, add a poached or fried egg on top. Serve with: Toasted whole-grain baguette and a glass of Riesling.

In this salad, mâche is tossed with spring ingredients--new red-skinned potatoes and fresh peas--and a lemony tahini dressing and chicken.

This crab and asparagus melt is delicious for a light spring dinner or lunch. You can use any type of crabmeat--including more affordable options available in pouches or cans near other canned fish or in tubs in the seafood department. Serve with a tossed salad.

For this sweet and tart salad, wheat berries are blended with cranberries, apples and pecans and tossed in a raspberry vinaigrette--a winning combination. Serve over a bed of peppery arugula for lunch or a light supper.

A rich source of iron and vitamins A and C, arugula is nonetheless in desperate need of balancing--here, with aged balsamic vinegar, walnuts and strawberries, another one of springtime's jewels.

This healthy and pretty beet salad recipe is dressed with a tangy-sweet maple-mustard vinaigrette. Use the leftover dressing for any salad later in the week.