oh-lay early spring salad

It’s funny how much we talk about the weather, at least around these parts. Perhaps it’s because we’re all in it together, this waiting for spring to be spring.

I check weather updates repeatedly as if somehow my multiple visits per day to our local weather station’s website will translate to warmer temperatures in the forecast. Even now my fingers are itching to check it once again. The calendar says it’s spring, but the temperatures seem reluctant to leave winter behind. I need to remind myself as I remind my children that it is the Lord who controls the weather and, thankfully, He is not bound by a calendar.

At least I can bring spring inside our home and to our table. For our home, I’m switching out winter photographs, prints and decorations. (And if you’re looking for spring printables, here are a few free ones I found around the web: (Hello Spring by On Sutton Place; Hello Spring by Sandy Toes and Popsicles; Bicycles by Oh So Lovely blog)

And for our table, I looking to grace it with recipes that incorporate springtime vegetables and my favorite minneola oranges which are only available for a short time in the stores where we live .

So I was excited a few weeks back to have this recipe arrive in my inbox from Minimalist Baker. I tried it out, but didn’t like the combination of the beans and quinoa with the lettuce, though I might have liked it better with kale (it’s a texture thing). So I made a few modifications to come up with the Oh-lay! Early Spring Salad featuring a pumpkin seed parmesan.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT A PDF of the Oh-lay Early Spring Salad recipe

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cook Time: 1-2 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

For the Salad

Spring greens mix
Asparagus, roughly chopped
½ – 1 cup minced cilantro
Oranges, diced
Avocado, diced
Pumpkin seed parmesan
Optional toppings:
Cucumber, diced
Roasted red pepper, sliced (organic is best)
Corn (organic is best)
Plantain chips, crumbled

For the Pumpkin Seed Parmesan

½ c. pumpkin seeds, raw or toasted
3 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 ½ tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. (heaping) cumin

For the Orange-Lime Dressing

¼ c. lime juice
1 T orange juice concentrate + 1 T water
3 T olive or avocado oil
½ scoop 100% pure stevia
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
1 T cilantro, minced

Instructions

1. If toasting pumpkin seeds, place in a pot over high heat and toast until you hear the seeds begin to “pop”, about 1-2 minutes.

2. Combine all pumpkin seed parmesan ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until roughly crumbled.

3. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well until emulsified.

4. Prepare all salad ingredients, combine with dressing and parmesan and serve.

Recipe Notes

Use about one large handful of salad greens per person.

If serving to a crowd, combine the greens, asparagus and cilantro in a large salad bowl, but serve the remaining toppings and dressing on the side for guests to add as desired. That way if you have leftovers, the greens will remain fresh.

Pumpkin seed parmesan will keep for at least one week if refrigerated in a jar.

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oh-lay early spring salad