.png)
I am wildly enthusiastic about salads.
Especially when I'm with the people I love, and I can share. Not surprisingly, I am sort of the go-to person in my group of friends for making salads anytime we get together. It's a responsibility I do not take lightly. No boring salads for my people. Ever. No boring salads for you from me, either. I hope you're just as enthusiastic about this salad as I am.
This salad is made with a wide variety of ingredients that add texture, taste, nutrition, color, and flavor. All things necessary to not have a boring salad.
There are several reasons why this combination of ingredients taste so good together:
Textures: The salad includes a variety of textures, from the crisp snap of the sugar snap peas to the creamy smoothness of the avocado. The combination of textures can create a satisfying mouthfeel that enhances the overall experience of the dish.
Flavors: The salad includes a range of flavors, from the sweetness of the peas to the tanginess of the pickled red onion. The combination of sweet, sour, salty, and savory flavors can create a complex and satisfying taste profile.
Complementary ingredients: The ingredients in the salad are carefully chosen to complement each other. For example, the freshness of the dill and green onion can balance out the richness of the egg and cheese. The lemon and garlic in the dressing can enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
Overall, the combination of textures, flavors, and complementary ingredients can create a delicious and well-rounded dish.
Included in this salad:
Mixed greens and red leaf lettuce - I use a combination of greens for crunch, nutrition, and color.
Pickled red onion - necessary tanginess and brightness. It lifts the flavor of everything and pairs so well with the ingredients. Pickled red onions are the type of thing I always have on hand. They are the simplest thing to make ever and they will make just about any dish infinitely better. I use half vinegar, half water and a big pinch of salt to make mine.
Sugar snap peas, radish and English peas - these sweet and bitter crunchy little morsels are one of my favorite things about spring. They bring texture, nutrition, and flavor to this salad. Plus I love their color.
Hard-boiled eggs - These bring a smooth creamy texture to the salad as well as extra protein and nutrition. Having them in the salad makes this feel very appropriate for an Easter or Passover brunch, too.
Avocado - It would be unique for me to make a salad with avocado. rich in healthy fats for satiety, and hormone balance. These guys start coming into season in California around April but you can find them at the farmer's market earlier sometimes. Otherwise, you can hopefully find them year-round from Mexico.
Tahini Dressing - Sesame seeds are the building block for tahini. It has such a rich, earthy flavor and is bursting with nutrients, as all seeds are. If you haven't had tahini before, you are in for a treat. It's really common in Mediterranean-style cooking, most hummus is made with it but I really became familiar with it through vegan cuisine. it's in a lot of the sauces in my cook, Vegan Buddha Bowls.
Parmesan Cheese - This adds a nice bit of saltiness to the salad and I just love it. Of course, it also adds protein so this salad really is hearty and could pass as a meal, while still being vegetarian.
Dill and green onion - these two little green gems pack SO MUCH FLAVOR. As I was eating this, I kept thinking about how flavorful these two plants are. I find it somewhat fascinating that something so small can taste that powerful. Mother nature really is cool. I also use alot of herbs in my cookbook as well. They bring great health benefits and truly make everything taste better.
Spring Vegetable Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, English Peas, Radish, Hard-boiled Egg, Avocado, Parmesan Cheese, Pickled Red Onion, Dill, and Green Onion Served With a Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing
Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup + 1tbsp hot water
1-2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
1 large lemon, juice and zest
salt and pepper to taste
Salad Fixings:
1 tbsp olive oil
5 oz sugar snap peas 5 oz English peas 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head of red leaf lettuce, chopped
1 big handful of mixed greens
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
4-6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced
3/4 cup pickled red onion
1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
To garnish
fresh dill
sliced green onion
lemon zest and juice
salt and black pepper
To make the dressing combine tahini, water, garlic, lemon juice and, zest, S&P in a bowl, mix well set aside.
For the salad, in a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the sugar snap peas, English peas, and garlic. sautee, occasionally stirring for 5-7 minutes. You want them warm but still bright green. Just slightly cooked.
Then build your salad. To a large bowl, add the red leaf lettuce, mixed greens, sugar snap peas, English peas, hard-boiled eggs, radish, parmesan cheese, avocado, pickled red onion, and the dressing. Toss well, then divide amongst bowls and garnish with dill, green onion, lemon juice, and zest, and a nice pinch of salt and black pepper.
Enjoy!
Also, if you have been loving my recipes then I am so excited to share that my first ever cookbook Vegan Buddha Bowls is now available for order.