Blood Orange and Balsamic Chicken Spring Salad

“This is the best salad I’ve ever had… You can quote me on your blog.”

                                                                          – Heather Sherlock, lover of food.

It’s finally spring in Ottawa! It’s real this time, and we can let ourselves relax. After weeks of rain and wind, peppered with just enough sun to keep you from staying in bed all day – it’s finally here. I, for one, couldn’t be happier. Down with winter – welcome spring.

Butternut squash and white bean soup

Winter in Ottawa is rough.

The snow piles up, the frostbite warnings are ever-present, and the space heaters run on high. Despite skating on the canal, and plenty of winter festivals, the space between November and March can be dismal in the Capital. Luckily, just short of a heavy dose of Vitamin D, I have the best fix for the winter blues: soup.

Soup has been my favourite food for as long as I can remember. As a kid, my Mom eventually stopped asking what I wanted for lunch after I always answered “soup!”. It makes you feel warm, it’s comforting, and you can make it out of pretty much anything.