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The Chopped Green Goddess Salad is wonderful. I prepared it two nights in a row – we love it. Thanks for such a great recipe.
Beverly Dungan
You know those times when you come back from a vacation? *droopy sad face*
I think I might have mentioned it a bajillion times already but we just got back from a very warm, very sunny, very extra relaxing vacation to Arizona. I’m still grieving the loss of the vacation, but on the upside, I’m really excited to show you some pics of the trip highlights! Today’s post has half of the vacation photos because I am slow and sometimes I need two posts to get my act together.
But wait! Salad salad salad. Okay okay okay.
The goods on the plate this week: almonds, spinach, pea shoots, avocado, cilantro, garlic, and olive oil. LOTSA good for your body stuff + mouth rocking flavor. And actually, thank you for asking, I think I WILL go for a sprinkle of feta cheese on my detox salad. That’s how I do these detox-ery things.
May I quickly announce my new green discovery of the week? PEA SHOOTS.
Hey cute. Those little freshy sprouty guys are yummy on, well, let me think. Literally EVERYTHING. I found them at Trader Joe’s, but maybe they’re sold at all grocery stores? I wouldn’t know. I’m still learning about these new vegetables and stuff.
So let’s lunch on tasty greens and talk about Arizona highlights! First stop:
Grandma and Grandpa’s House
My grandparents are Minnesota natives who migrate south every winter to enjoy the sunny paradise of A-Z. Whiiich works out well for us because we like to crash at their place and eat my Grandma’s cooking and play frisbee with my Grandpa and chill out under the orange trees in their backyard.
We had some epically long breakfast table talks after stuffing ourselves with granola, warm croissants, and grapefruit fresh off the tree in the backyard. Followed by more sipping on some coffee, talking about life, grabbing one more croissant, and getting a refill of freshly squeeze orange juice. And was anyone planning to eat this last half of a croissant here? That’s how we roll at Grandma’s house.
My favorite part about going to Arizona in the spring is the orange trees. Like, WOW. This is the time of year when the orange trees are blossoming, so they have those pretty little white flowers and over and they smell like a dream. Plus, juicy fresh oranges available for your picking whenever the snack attack hits.
Poor Bjork was sneezing left and right – what do they call that again – allergies? All I know is that for me, the smell of the orange blossoms is one of my favorites it all the great wide world. It’s like breathing in candy-sweet fruit SUGAR OXYGEN all the live long day. It’s just incredible.
What a treat to be able to stay with my grandparents + eat Grandma’s lemon pie after every meal for three days straight.
Next time, beware. We might set up shop for more like a month.
Montelucia Resort and Spa
So after part one of the ultimate relaxation, we moved on to part two: Montelucia Resort and Spa.
I’d like to tell you that usually Bjork doesn’t wear pants and a sweatshirt at the pool. But, *sigh*. I don’t know. He’s not really one for the sun.
This resort is the kind where you don’t even have to go to the real spa to feel like you’re at a spa. Know what I mean? It just has that close-your-eyes-and-feel-good vibe about it. I spent most of my time at the pool, reading The Book Thief, crying for a few minutes into Bjork’s sunscreened shoulder over The Book Thief (oh Rudy ♥), eating quesadillas and french fries like a good vacationer, reading and devouring Divergent, and doing my best to soak up the sun.
We’re that couple that goes half sun (me) and half shade (mah boy), so finding a good pool or beach set up is not something that we do well. Usually we end up on completely separate sides of the pool and just plan to reconnect for dinner. But Montelucia’s two pristine pools, shady umbrellas, comfy chairs, palm trees, incredible mountainous view, and mesmerizing fountains made for a completely perfect pool experience, and once we found our half-and-half spot, we were each in our happy places.
We had this gorgeous room overlooking the mountain/pool/fountain/greens and flower and palm trees and such. If you want to see more thoughtful, less rushed-to-get-to-the-pool pictures of the room, check it on out. My favorite part which is partially pictured here was our spacious patio.
Although a close second for me would have to be the bathroom. Like, seriously. There was gold, glass, patterns, textures, clean lines, and sparkly things. One thing worth mentioning: I LOVE NICE BATHROOMS. Good thing we bought an old house with a sort of weird small bathroom, right? Mmhm.
I was on Spring Break from my job as an elementary school teacher this week, but the funny thing about my other job (blogging) is that it doesn’t ever take a break, and you can do it from anywhere. We tried to take time to relax – the kind of relaxing where you don’t do any work.
But we are also the kind of people who sometimes “relax” by checking blog comments, and then going to the pool, and then catching up on email, and then reading another book. So as much as we try to pull away, sometimes it’s hard because a) there’s a lot to do, all the time, and b) both Bjork and I love our work. What a gift, and I mean that in the most serious, reverent, not mocking way possible. We are thankful.
Each morning I got some blog work done on the patio in the sun with coffee in hand and a muffin at my side. Um, that can’t be work, right? But I think it was. But it felt like vacation. WHAT’S GOING ON.
PS. In case you’re a person who looks closely at faces, that’s a chicken pox scar on my forehead, accentuated perfectly by the morning sun. We can really be friends now that you know about the childhood scars on my face and stuff.
So.
What a beautiful place. We loved it. Thanks to Montelucia for showing us such warm (literally) hospitality! I would totally for sure in a heartbeat recommend this resort to anyone looking for a nice place to stay in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Actually, a few of you commented on Instagram and said that you had been here, too, so I know we’ve got some fans in the group already.
Fingers crossed that we’ll be back. Maybe if I tap my heels three times and close my eyes and start chanting.
Er, too much sun.
So the main event in this post is the salad.
When I come home from vacation, I’m usually inspired to eat something that I tried and loved from a restaurant. Enter: Green Goddess Detox Salad.
We ate at Prado, the restaurant at Montelucia (wait though, go look at the main picture on their website and see how gorgeous it is and imagine how romantic it is at night, and then forgive me for not taking more pictures). One of the incredible parts of my meal was a shredded kale salad with house made Green Goddess dressing and cool creamy chunks of avocado. Yummy yumm yum-diddly-doo. I thought to myself –> go home and make Green Goddess dressing.
So I did, and I made my own little detox (“”) salad with some other healthy things that would help me recover from the aforementioned poolside quesadillas and french fries. But this might be just as good. I love everything in this salad and I love that it makes my body super magically glowy and powerful and healthy. Or whatever.
Chopped Green Goddess Salad
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This Green Goddess Detox Salad has lots of good for you ingredients like avocado, almonds, herbs, and a delicious Green Goddess dressing.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups spinach
- 1–2 cups pea shoots
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1/2 cup almonds, crushed or chopped
- 1 avocado, cut into chunks
Green Goddess Dressing
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper (I left the ribs and seeds – it was spicy and delicious)
- 2/3 cup Greek yogurt
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup packed cilantro
- 2 scallions
Instructions
- Puree all the dressing ingredients together, adding the cilantro last and stopping when the texture feels right to you. I went for little green flecks of cilantro and scallion throughout.
- Toss the salad ingredients together with dressing; serve immediately.
Notes
Okay okay, I know, technically this isn’t a “detox” salad because I included a small amount of feta and Greek yogurt. But it’s close enough for me, and if it’s not close enough for you, it’s also really easy to omit both of those ingredients. For the dressing, just increase the amount of oil and acid slightly and/or use almond butter to thicken. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 2 mins
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: detox salad, green goddess salad, healthy salad recipe
pea shoots – why do i not see these things at the grocery store? Oh wait, sometimes i get too distracted by cheese and wine 😛
wonderful pictures from the vacation, I have never been to AZ but i could use some vacation..take me anywhere there is sun.
Um, yes to cheese on detox salads. All that matters is that the veggies make it to your mouth, right?
I’ll have to look for pea shoots — might be too early here in Idaho. But since some days I can barely find spinach that isn’t wilted or expired, I may need to go farther afield than my normal grocery store 🙂
I keep seeing pea shoots at Trader Joe’s and kept trying to think of a good way to use them. I was thinking a stir fry but this salad looks so green and fresh and healthy I’ll have to get the pea shoots and make this salad instead!
Great on sandwiches too! 🙂
Thanks, now I know where I can find the pea shoots myself tomorrow for my salad. You saved me a lot of trouble .
Linda
Long talks after breakfast with grandparents are the best! My husband’s sweet grandpa lives in Missouri, and we did the exact same thing when we were visiting them over Christmas. It’s nice to just enjoy a slower pace of life. This salad looks so healthy and delicious! Can’t wait to try the homemade goddess dressing!
It really is. The slow pace is so refreshing.
Your vacation photos are so nice. Looks like just about the perfect getaway. : ) This salad looks really, really good. I’ve gotta have cheese on my salad too, and feta is my favorite!
This vacation sounds amazing!!!! And your grandparents couldn’t be any cuter. I’m close with my grandparents too. It’s so special. This salad, ummm yes! I just saw the pea shoots at TJs too. Pinned!
Oh my goodness, this is EXACTLY the salad I need right now – so yummy!
My boyfriend and I are the same when it comes to shade versus sun. It is more challenging than one might think to find both in the same place, as you said. This salad looks great and a love a little cheese with my detox, thank you very much!
Yep. Exactly.
Your vacation looks lovely! I always do the same thing, making something I tried at a restaurant. It’s so fun to get inspired by new food in a new space! I’m also loving what you’re doing with your hair!
Oh my gosh. Thanks? LOL. Vacation hair at its finest! 🙂
The Book Thief!!!! I was sitting in my living room with my five men (1 husband, four sons) when I got to the best, toughest part of that book. I said outloud “OK, I have to cry now” and boy, did I cry. And was it cathartic! What a great book!!!! and they all agreed to read it after and perhaps because of my public sob.
Ohhh, how sweet. I get it. Let’s hug.
Love your blog, your recipes….but, you cannot detox with milk products; feta, yogurt…
That salad looks so yummy! Will definitely need to try this (and a relaxing vacation). 🙂
Thanks for sharing your vacation photos with us, Lindsay! Your grandparents seem like the cutest couple ever. Glad you and Bjork got some sun. I’m totally jelly! We still have snow outside here in Toronto. *Sigh*
Oh, and the salad looks delicious! Will definitely try making 😀
It snowed on the day I had to go back to work. BLEH
*sigh* I’m so ready for a dose of sunshine… This salad looks so fresh and delicious Lindsay! The perfect antidote to rubbish weather 🙂
Love pea shoots and this salad looks amazingly fresh! So glad we found your blog Lindsay, and we too enjoy feta cheese on salads and on almost everything else! Arizona is the most beautiful in the Spring, we used to live there and miss the warm sunshine. Your grandparents look so sweet and happy there 🙂
J+C
I am a fellow MN and we went to FL for spring break 2 weeks ago. Loved the sun and warmth! So hard to leave and return to 20 degrees and snow! Salad looks awesome! Funny comment about your chicken pox scar…I have the same one on my cheek 😉 Just started following your blog…love locals!
I just finished listening to “The Book Thief” last week! It was AMAZING!!! Worth all 11 discs. You felt such a range of emotions throughout the book! I definitely also did tear up when Rudy died! :'(
What a gorgeous vacation, and your grandparents look like absolute gems! (And I love the hutch full of dishes behind them). The salad looks so good – I just learned from this post that pea shoots are what came in a veggie delivery box that I used with wild enthusiasm, and so thank you! So glad I now know what they were so I can find them again!
This looks so delicious! I cannot wait to make it. I haven’t tried pea shoots yet, but I’ll definitely be picking them up at TJs next time I’m there!
Your vacay looks AWESOME. AZ is exactly where I want to be after this winter. Bring on the heat!!
Also – the green in this salad makes my heart happy.
Oh my gerd, Lindsay! I have the same exact chicken pox scar in the same exact spot!!
First off, your grandparents are adorable. Second, bathroom – AH-mazing! Third, I give you credit for a detox salad. I got back from vacation a week ago and I’m just now back into the swing of things lol. Such a beautiful salad!
Umm… your vacy looks simply perfect!! Pretty jealous, but so happy for you guys that you got a vacy!!
Love the salad too! 🙂
Oh Linsay, you make salad look so yummy! Pea shoots are an old fav, use to eat them all the time, now you have reminded me again, I will have to go and buy some. We are heading into cold weather after a really hot summer, but I’m going home (Darwin)in August, so will get a short burst of warmth then to visit Daddy. Great post!
Hey Lindsay! Isn’t that one of the goals of life-to find something you are so passionate about that it doesn’t even feel like work? I think it is awesome you are so passionate about blogging. It definitely does show in your posts!
I’ve never been to Arizona, or eaten pea shoots. I need to do both soon. Going to Trader Joe’s tomorrow 🙂
Oh, and pinning this recipe now. Looks delicious!!