Celebrate Salad!

With spring upon us and leafy greens growing fast, it’s fitting that May is National Salad Month. We think this is a great time to get creative with your salads, and inspire others in your life to do the same. You can start with these recipes, or keep reading to get fresh ideas for the days and weeks to come.

SuperGreens

Whether you start with a base of lettuce, other leafy greens, or skip them altogether is completely up to you. If you’re short on time, this mix of tender triple-washed superfood baby greens is a quick and healthy foundation. From here, the sky’s the limit, as you chop, sauté, roast or grill your way to veggie bliss.

Add veggies – raw or roasted

Roasted beets are one of our favorite ways to add color and nutrition. You can even use both gold and red beets to brighten your plate. All you have to do is scrub, trim the tops and bottoms (no need to peel!), coat with olive oil and wrap them with a piece of aluminum foil. Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour and the skins will easily rub off once they are cool enough to handle.

We’re nuts for crunch

To keep things exciting week after week, vary the textures and taste sensations, like salty and sweet, crispy and creamy. Nuts, seeds and raw veggies will provide that crunch,–

Say cheese!

…while any number of dairy or nondairy cheeses can provide a smooth, comforting sensation to balance things out. Blue cheese is a perennial favorite, but you can also try feta for a tangy zing, cubes of cheddar for a hearty earthiness or pepper jack to add a spicy kick.

Whole grain goodness

Don’t forget amazing whole grains, — complex carbohydrates for satisfying nutrients that happen to be an additional vehicle for your toppings and dressing. Quinoa, barley, buckwheat and bulgur provide vitamins and a good dose of fiber, as does this blend of organic farro and lentils by Bluebird Grains.

Protein power

To provide extra go power and keep you full longer, pile on the protein, –instead of or in addition to nuts and cheese, try various shredded meat or meat alternatives, or save some tofu from your stir fry to use in tomorrow’s salad. Whole cooked kidney beans, black beans or chickpeas are other plant-powered proteins that will give your salad a boost.

Dress it up

When you’re ready to dress your creation, we recommend making your own homemade salad dressing. Even a simple vinaigrette made from olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and some minced garlic or fresh herbs is enough to tie all the components together. Or give one of these favorite dressing recipes a try.

Dressing and Dip

If you’re short on time or ingredients, there are delicious and healthy options that are not only great on salad, but can also double as dip for a veggie platter, such as Toby’s Greek Feta. Whatever your taste preferences and those of your family, we know there’s a salad combination, or two or twenty, that will make everyone feel good about eating their veggies!

How To Add Farm Stand products to Your Delivery:
Full Circle members – head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. Market is open from noon on Thursday until 6pm on your cutoff date. After you confirm your produce items, click the orange button “Confirm and Continue To Other Farm Products” to add farm products to your delivery.

Not part of our farm family? Find out if we deliver to your neighborhood.