Spring can be a frustrating time of year. The weather is unpredictable and most people just want the warmth of summer to get here asap. I personally love spring, the air is crisp, the sun is warm, and the smell of hyacinths is all I need to make me close my eyes and smile. It's also a great time of year to enjoy fresh spring greens and early spring vegetables. For me, that first taste of green is such a relief, it means that the earth is waking up and getting ready to feed us again.
This salad is so flavorful and fresh tasting, it's just what I needed after some heavy winter meals. I was lucky enough to start the base of my salad with some super crisp Yukina Savoy and slightly spicy Arugula that we are growing in the greenhouse at the farm. From there, I just added a few ingredients that I had and came up with a delicious salad.
Ingredients:
Three large handfuls of fresh salad greens
2-3 small radishes thinly sliced
1/2 of a naval orange- cut into segments
1/2 of a grapefruit- cut into segments
1/2 of a ripe avocado, scooped out of the shell and cubed
About 2-4 Tablespoons of Goat cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 Tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds
Salt and Pepper
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Divide the greens onto two plates. Roll the goat cheese in the chives. Top the greens with equal amounts of each of the ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with Olive Oil.
Makes two servings.
This recipe goes out to Katie who is spending a semester abroad in India and is missing some comforts of home, like goat cheese. The goat cheese in this salad really completed the dish, it blended well with the tang of the citrus and the spiciness of the chives and arugula. You really can't go wrong with some good Chevre!
