Stress-Reducing Spinach & Avocado Salad
Fresh spinach tossed with avocado, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes in a light lemon-olive oil dressing.
This salad takes about ten minutes start to finish, which makes it an easy side to pull together on evenings when cooking feels like one task too many.
Leafy greens like spinach and healthy fats from avocado are commonly featured in meals aimed at stress support, which is why this salad carries that tag. The toasted pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch, and the simple lemon-olive oil dressing keeps the flavors bright rather than heavy.
Toss just before serving so the avocado stays intact and the spinach doesn't wilt.
If you're packing this for lunch, keep the dressing separate and add it right before eating so the spinach stays crisp. A boiled egg or some grilled chicken turns this side salad into a full meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh spinach — washed and dried
- 1 large avocado — sliced
- 1 cup cucumber — sliced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes — halved
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds — toasted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil — extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon honey — optional, for balance
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt — to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper — freshly ground
Instructions
- 1In a large bowl, combine spinach, avocado slices, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.
- 2In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey (if using), salt, and pepper.
- 3Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
- 4Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.