with Avocado, Feta, Seeds & Lemon-Poppy Vinaigrette
real food, real flavor, real life.

This salad is bright, fresh, colorful, and full of texture. It brings together tender baby spinach, crisp broccoli, juicy blueberries, creamy avocado, crumbled feta, dried cranberries, toasted nuts, seeds, and a light lemon-poppy vinaigrette.

It works beautifully as a lunch salad, a side dish for grilled chicken or salmon, or a sharing bowl for family and friends. The blueberries bring natural sweetness, the broccoli adds crunch, the spinach gives freshness, the avocado brings healthy fat, and the feta adds just enough salty richness to make the whole bowl feel satisfying.

This is the kind of salad that proves healthy food looks, tastes and smells delicious.

Blueberry, Broccoli & Spinach Salad

with Avocado, Feta, Seeds & Lemon-Poppy Vinaigrette

Serves

4 as a side salad
2 as a main salad

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 5 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
• 2 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed or blanched, then cooled
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced or cubed
• ½ cup cucumber, diced, optional
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup toasted almonds or walnuts, roughly chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Lemon-Poppy Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• ½ small garlic clove, finely grated, optional
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to Make

Prepare the Broccoli

Bring a small pan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until bright green and tender-crisp.

Drain and immediately place into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.

Make the Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, poppy seeds, garlic if using, salt, and pepper.

Taste and adjust with more lemon, vinegar, or seasoning if needed.

Assemble the Salad

Place the baby spinach into a large serving bowl.

Add the broccoli, blueberries, avocado, cucumber if using, dried cranberries, feta, seeds, and toasted nuts.

Drizzle with the lemon-poppy vinaigrette and gently toss just before serving.

Finish with extra black pepper and a little more feta or seeds if desired.

Optional Protein Additions

To make this a full MW&B meal, add:

• Grilled chicken
• Roasted salmon
• Seared shrimp
• Hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs
• Chickpeas
• White beans
• Grilled tofu
• Quinoa or farro

Estimated Nutritional Breakdown

Per serving, based on 4 side-salad servings

• Calories: 280–360 kcal
• Protein: 7–11 g
• Carbohydrates: 22–32 g
• Fiber: 7–10 g
• Total fat: 20–28 g
• Saturated fat: 4–7 g
• Added sugar: 2–5 g, depending on cranberries and honey/maple syrup
• Natural sugar: 8–13 g, mainly from blueberries, cranberries, and vegetables
• Sodium: 250–500 mg, depending on feta and added salt
• Potassium: 650–900 mg
• Vitamin C: high, mainly from broccoli, spinach, blueberries, and lemon
• Vitamin K: very high, mainly from spinach and broccoli
• Vitamin A: high, mainly from spinach and broccoli
• Folate: moderate to high
• Magnesium: moderate, mainly from seeds, nuts, spinach, and avocado
• Calcium: moderate, mainly from feta, spinach, and broccoli

Nutrition will vary depending on how much dressing, cheese, avocado, nuts, and dried cranberries are used. Dried cranberries are charming little sugar delivery systems, so measure them instead guessing.

If Served as a Main Salad

Based on 2 larger servings

• Calories: 560–720 kcal
• Protein: 14–22 g
• Carbohydrates: 44–64 g
• Fiber: 14–20 g
• Total fat: 40–56 g

For a stronger main meal, add grilled chicken, salmon, eggs, tofu, chickpeas, or beans to bring the protein closer to 30–40 g per serving.

Why This Fits MW&B Recipe Criteria

Real Food First

This salad is made with spinach, broccoli, blueberries, avocado, nuts, seeds, feta, herbs, lemon, olive oil, and a simple homemade vinaigrette. These are real, recognizable ingredients with color, texture, and flavor. No bottled dressing circus required.

Plant Diversity

This salad brings together leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, berries, avocado, seeds, nuts, and optional cucumber. That variety supports a more nutrient-dense plate and gives your body a wider range of plant compounds.

Gut Health and Digestive Support

Spinach, broccoli, blueberries, avocado, nuts, seeds, and dried cranberries all contribute fiber. Fiber supports digestion, fullness, and gut health. The more plants you include across the week, the better the overall pattern.

Healthy Fats

Avocado, olive oil, seeds, and nuts provide healthy fats that help make the salad satisfying. They also help carry flavor and support fullness, which is useful because nobody wants to eat a salad and then immediately hunt for toast like a raccoon.

Build and Keep Muscle

As written, this salad is moderate in protein. The feta, seeds, nuts, and spinach contribute some protein, but for an MW&B main meal, add grilled chicken, salmon, eggs, tofu, chickpeas, or beans. That makes the salad much stronger for muscle maintenance.

Daily Movement Support

This salad provides carbohydrates from fruit and vegetables, fats from avocado, olive oil, seeds, and nuts, and fiber from the plants. It works well as a lighter lunch, side dish, or active-day salad when paired with a solid protein.

Reduce Harmful Inputs

The dressing is homemade, which means you control the oil, sugar, salt, and additives. This avoids bottled dressings that often come with unnecessary sugars, gums, preservatives, and label nonsense dressed up as “natural flavor.”

Assessment and Adjustment

This recipe is easy to adjust. Reduce the dried cranberries for less sugar, add extra broccoli for more fiber, use goat cheese instead of feta, add salmon or chicken for more protein, or add quinoa or farro for more energy.

Purpose, Connection, and Community

This is a great sharing salad. Serve it in a large bowl or platter for lunch, brunch, cookouts, or dinner with friends. It looks beautiful, tastes fresh, and gives people something colorful and nourishing to gather around.

Healthy Skepticism

Blueberries, broccoli, and spinach are nutritious, but no single salad is magic. The real MW&B win is building a regular pattern of colorful plants, protein, healthy fats, fiber, and home-prepared meals. Simple, but it works.

MW&B Plate Balance

• Greens: baby spinach
• Cruciferous vegetable: broccoli
• Fruit: blueberries and dried cranberries
• Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, seeds, nuts
• Protein: feta, nuts, seeds, plus optional chicken, salmon, eggs, tofu, or beans
• Flavor builders: lemon, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, black pepper
• Best upgrade: add a clear protein source if serving as a main meal

Chef Mark Note

This salad is all about balance. The spinach keeps it fresh, the broccoli brings crunch, the blueberries add sweetness, the avocado gives creaminess, and the feta adds that salty bite. The seeds and nuts make it more satisfying, while the lemon-poppy vinaigrette keeps everything bright.

Serve it family-style in a large bowl and toss it just before eating so the spinach stays fresh and glossy. Real food, real flavor, real life.