Salad of the Week: Summer in February Bowl

A bowl that feels bright and refreshing when the season feels anything but — built to carry you easily through the week.

This week’s Salad of the Week is all about bringing a little sunshine to the middle of winter. Bright mango, crisp napa cabbage, creamy avocado, and a simple lime dressing come together in a bowl that feels fresh, colorful, and deeply satisfying — even on the coldest days.

I build one salad each week using the same simple framework: leafy greens, a few key add-ins, and a simple oil-free dressing. The ingredients change, but the structure stays the same, which makes daily salads feel easier and more repeatable. This bowl is a great example of how a familiar system can flex with the seasons — even when you’re craving summer flavors in February.

As always, feel free to swap based on what you have, what you enjoy, or what’s growing. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s a bowl you actually look forward to eating.

What Makes This Salad Special

This bowl is all about bringing brightness to the middle of winter — while still feeling like a real, satisfying meal.

• A light, crunchy base from leafy greens and napa cabbage keeps the bowl fresh and slaw-like rather than heavy.
• Quinoa and black beans make it filling enough to actually hold you over.
• Mango, cucumber, and red bell pepper add natural sweetness, color, and cooling contrast that instantly reads “summer.”
• Avocado brings a creamy element that balances the bright citrus flavors and helps everything feel more complete.
• Fresh cilantro (or parsley) lifts the whole bowl with a clean, herby finish.
• The Creamy Mango-Lime Citrus Dressing ties everything together with bright citrus, subtle warmth from cumin, and a light creamy texture that helps the flavors feel balanced and complete without feeling heavy.

The result is a bowl that feels sunny and energizing — the kind of meal that reminds you winter doesn’t last forever.

This Week’s Bowl

Leafy Lettuce

• Use a mix of tender leafy greens you enjoy — tower-grown or store-bought — such as romaine, leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, or spring mix

Cruciferous Greens & Veggies

• Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

Alliums (Onion Family)

• Scallions or red onion, very thinly sliced

Plant-Based Protein & Staying Power

• Quinoa, cooked and cooled
• Black beans, rinsed
• Avocado, sliced or cubed

Amp Up the Volume

• Mango, cubed (fresh or thawed frozen and well-drained)
• Cucumber, chopped
• Red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Finishers (Optional)

• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• Lime zest
• Cilantro, chopped (or flat-leaf parsley)

Creamy Mango-Lime Citrus Dressing (Oil-Free)

This bright, creamy dressing mirrors the bowl itself — fresh citrus, a little natural sweetness from mango, and a smooth, satisfying texture from white beans and avocado. It’s light enough to keep the bowl feeling fresh, but substantial enough to coat the greens and toppings so every bite feels complete.

This is a make-once, use-all-week batch (6–8 servings).

• ¾ cup cooked white beans (cannellini or great northern), rinsed
• ¼ cup water (plus more as needed for blending)
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2–3 Tbsp fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp ripe mango, chopped
• 1–2 Tbsp ripe avocado
• 1–2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (or parsley if you dislike cilantro)
• 1 small scallion, chopped
• ¼–½ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch smoked paprika (optional, but especially nice with black beans)
• 1 small clove garlic (or ¼ tsp garlic powder)
• Black pepper to taste

Blend until completely smooth and creamy.

If needed, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dressing is pourable but still lightly coats a spoon.

Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Stir or shake before using. Best within 4–5 days for freshest flavor and color.

How I Build the Bowl

1. Start with a generous base of leafy greens in a large bowl.
2. Add a handful of thinly sliced napa cabbage for crunch.
3. Spoon on quinoa and black beans to give the bowl staying power.
4. Add mango, cucumber, and red bell pepper for color and freshness.
5. Tuck in sliced avocado, then sprinkle with scallions or red onion.
6. Finish with fresh cilantro (or parsley).
7. Drizzle with the Simple Lime Citrus Dressing and gently toss to combine.
8. Finish with a little lime zest and pepitas, if using.

Bright, balanced, and easy to repeat all week.

Prep Ahead Tip

To make this week’s bowls come together easily, I prep a few key components ahead of time:

• Cook a batch of quinoa and let it cool
• Drain and rinse the black beans
• Thinly slice the napa cabbage
• Slice the red bell pepper
• Cut the mango and cucumber
• Make a batch of the Simple Lime Citrus Dressing
• Toast the pepitas, if using

I store each ingredient in its own jar so everything is ready to scoop and assemble throughout the week. Keeping the components separate helps everything stay fresh and makes building a quick bowl feel simple and realistic.

Serve With (Optional)

This bowl pairs beautifully with a cozy vegetable soup, finished with lime & crispy tortilla strips.

The warm, comforting soup balances the bright, citrusy salad, and the tortilla strips add a simple crunch that works well on both bowls — an easy way to create a connected salad-and-soup rhythm for the week.

Notes & Variations

Easy swaps

• Cilantro → Flat-leaf parsley
• Red bell pepper → Tomatoes
• Quinoa → Farro
• Pepitas → Slivered almonds

Easy add-ins

• Fresh or thawed frozen corn (well drained)
• Sliced radish for crunch
• Thinly sliced jicama for extra crisp texture

Prep note

Avocado is best sliced just before serving, since it browns once cut. To keep a partially used avocado fresh, leave the pit in place, brush the cut surface with lime or lemon juice, and store it tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge.

Final Thoughts

This is one of those bowls that proves winter food doesn’t have to feel heavy or dull. With a familiar structure and a few bright ingredients, you can keep daily salads interesting, satisfying, and easy to repeat — no matter the season.

If you’d like more help building simple, nourishing salads using a flexible framework, you can download my free Tower-to-Table Recipe Guide here:

👉 https://verticalhydroponicgarden.com/free-recipes

Here’s to simple, nourishing meals — one bowl at a time 🌱

Karen
Vertical Hydroponic Garden