Healthy Winter Salads to Start Your New Year!

Winter can be a dull time in the produce aisle. Your go-to fresh options might be looking a bit wilted and known to be dull and not very fresh when it comes to produce. But you can enjoy fresh and healthy salad in the wintertime. The trick is picking the right winter vegetables. Take a look a my favourite winter salads!

Its that time of year when we all might want to eat a bit better, recover from the holiday indulgences and get back to eating something fresh. But its winter and produce can be bit harder to find -- at least hard to find good stuff.

Below you will find some of my favourite winter salads. Salads that are easy to put together any time of year, but that really shine with the weather is a bit colder -- and are economical. I don't know about you but I'm not too happy about a $8 half pint of raspberries.

A few tips when making salads in the winter

DON'T limit yourself to raw vegetables; roasted, pickled or steamed vegetables are great added to any salad.
DON'T limit yourself to just greens. Not all salads need lettuce
DO add lemon or citrus to your dressing to brighten everything thing up. Fresh fruit like fresh tart apples can do this too.
DO consider richer salad additions - more robust vegetables can stand up to richer salad ingredients - think: walnuts, parmesan cheese, tangy mustard, bitter tahini, olives, capers...

Here are a few my favourite winter salad ingredients:

Cabbage

Cabbage is an underrated fresh vegetable. One of my favourite ways to eat cabbage is shredded and raw. Slaw is not just for summer BBQs. And in fact, I think wintery slaws have a bit more sophistication about them then we see in the summer

Savory cabbage slaw. This with a creamy, mustard, champagne vinarregette

Savoy Cabbage Slaw tossed with Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette, jar of vinaigrette in background

Get the recipe here: Creamy Savoy Cabbage Slaw

Raddico and Endive

Bitter, yet delicate, raddico and endive are fresh and in season in late winter and early spring. This salad balances the slight bitterness of chicory greens with a sweet fruity vinaigrette (this one with mandarin oranges), crisp apples and crunchy walnuts. Radishes add a pop of colour and a fresh bite.

winter salad with apple and radicchio on a white plate

Get the recipe here: Raddico and Apple Slaw with Walnuts

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts might be the iconic winter vegetable. Winter is the best time of year for fresh Brussels Sprouts. B Sprouts, or Brussy's. Yes we love them so much around here we have have pet names for them. When at peak season they are fat and crisp. Honestly, I can't help but take advantage of these green parcels any time I find them in the store.

Raw, shaved Brussels sprouts and crisp and delicious. More intense and earthy in flavour than say cabbage, they hold up well in salads tossed with richer additions - think walnuts, parmesan, and dried fruits.

A simple salad of shaved Brussels sprouts, toasted walnuts and a generous amount of parmesan cheese is one of my favourite winter treats. Whenever I serve this salad I am asked for the recipe. Because Brussels Sprouts are sturdy, this salad holds up well and can be made a bit ahead.

Or try this B Sprout salad for a more festive occasion or just a packed lunch with quinoa, dried cranberries, and walnuts in a lemony dressing.

Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Quinoa and Cranberries

Get the recipe here: Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Quinoa and Cranberries

Kale

I would be remiss if I skipped kale on this list of wintery salads. Admittedly I can find kale almost all year round. But do know, kale is a cold-weather crop. You will find it at its freshest and cheapest in the colder months.

For me, a kale salad is best kept simple. This basic kale salad with beets and sunflower seeds, served with a lemony tahni dressing, is perfect for meal prep. Use it as a base salad = add chickpeas, baked tofu, or other proteins for a complete meal.

make ahead kale salad with beets and seeds

Get the receipe here: Make-ahead Kale Salad

Fennel

Fennel has a little a bit of licorice flavour and adds a nice fresh crunch to sales. This is one my favourite winter salads. Its' fresh. Bright and garlickly. So good. Kale. Fenel and Cabbages with apple and dried cranberries for sweetness.

Get the recipe here: Apple and Kale Salad with Fennel

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables may not be the first thing you think of when you think of salad, but I encourage you do give it a try.

This salad is built on roasted beets and carrots all tossed in a creamy tahini dressing. Roasting brings out the sweetness of the vegetables.

roasted beet and carrot salad with sesame seeds

Get the recipe here: Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad

More wintery salads you might want to try

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Check out this recipe

shaved brussel sprouts with parmesan and walnuts in a white bowl, fork

High Protien Pasta and Carrot Salad with Cumin

A full flavour pasta salad made with a chickpea based pasta and tossed with shredded carrots and a tangy cumin spiced vinieagrette. A healthy, high-protein, plant based salad.

Check out this recipe

Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Salad

A light summer salad, cannellini beans and roasted red peppers tossed with herby citrus flavours.

Check out this recipe

cannellini bean salad with roasted red peppers

Sushi Salad with Miso Dressing

Basically your favourite vegetiarn sushi, in a bowl. Perfect for lunch.

Check out this recipe

sushi salad with ingredients layered in a bowl

Spicy Soba Noodle Salad

Soba noodles, fresh veggies tossed in a spicy peanut sauce.

Check out this recipe

Simple Pear Wheat Berry Salad

A quick and hearty one bowl salad. Perfect for packed lunches.

Check out this recipe

wheat berry lunch bowl with pears, almonds, and greens

Detox Salad

This salad starter that will keep for several days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Perfect for my Detox salad, however you use the starter to build an infinite number of salads based on your taste.

Check out this recipe