Market Fresh: Spring Salad Mix

It's nearly spring! After a month of snow in February and not even a hint of warmer weather to come, it's nice to have March here with its promise of spring -- if not in real life, at least on the calendar!

Spring Salad Mix, while something we can buy year round at the grocery store, is about to be coming into its own at the local farmer's market and before long in our own gardens!



Here are some ideas for creating some terrific salads:

SPRING SALAD MIX SALADS AND DRESSINGS
(Heather)
Print this recipe

Spring salad mix

Choose a fruit:
apple
strawberries
pears
Asian pear
grapefruit
mandarin oranges
dried cranberries or cherries or blueberries
peaches
nectarines
plums
avocado

Choose something crunchy:
toasted pecans
walnuts
hazelnuts
slivered almonds
pumpkin seeds
crumbled bacon
sunflower seeds
croutons
pine nuts

Choose a cheese:
slivered Parmesan
crumbled feta
crumbled blue cheese

Choose a dressing:
Creamy
Applesauce
Lemon & Oil

Place your spring mix into a salad bowl. Add the fruit, something crunchy, and cheese of your choice. Toss with the dressing just before serving.

CREAMY SPRING SALAD DRESSING
(adapted from Jacques Pepin)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1-2 Tbsp. water
salt & pepper

Whisk the cream in a bowl until it is frothy. Add the red wine vinegar and give a few more whisks. The cream will thicken. Add water to make the dressing the desired consistency (i.e. not so thick). Add salt and pepper to taste and pour over salad. This amount works for a salad to serve about 4.

APPLESAUCE SALAD DRESSING
(as given to me by my friend Carla)

1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 green onions, sliced (include a little bit of green)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a blender and whizz until well-blended.

LEMON AND OIL DRESSING
(Heather)

1 part lemon juice
2 parts canola oil
salt & pepper

I squeeze the lemon juice into a small glass jar, add the oil, salt and pepper and place the lid on the jar. Shake vigorously and pour onto salad. This is my most-used salad dressing.