Salad days

It's the start of September, and officially spring here in Australia. Never mind that the ground was still frosty this morning. The blossoming trees and dive-bombing magpies know spring has arrived.

Wattle tree. Aaaaaaahh.

So, anyway. After months of hearty soups, casseroles and curries, salad vegetables have started reappearing in the shops and markets. Having moved on from the insipid (iceberg lettuce, carrot, tomato and grated cheddar cheese) salads of my youth, I've discovered there are heaps of yummy things you can put in salads. Here are a few ideas:

Spicy salmon and lychee salad
Tandoori tofu salad
Rocket, cucumber, tomato and haloumi salad
Chunky avocado salsa
Crispy bacon salad
Rocket, avocado, pear, blue cheese and pecan salad
Goat's cheese salad with croutons

and for cooler evenings, a warm 'salad':

Warm pasta salad with pine nuts and feta

Happy spring to y'all ... or if you're reading this in the Northern Hemisphere, happy autumn/fall!