Spring salad ideas featuring dates
Spring is here, and warmer weather and seasonal produce are just waiting to be enjoyed. So pack up the crock pot and get inspired with fresh spring salad ideas featuring delicious dates!
What produce is in season in the spring?
Fruits and vegetables abound in the spring! Think leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collard greens, lettuce, carrots, asparagus, broccoli, leeks, garlic, radishes, turnips, and sweet potatoes for in-season vegetables. When it comes to fruit, citrus and berries are ripe for the picking! Oranges, tangerines, clementines and strawberries are all great seasonal choices.
How to make a seasonal spring salad
There are endless ways to toss together a quick, easy and delicious spring salad. Consider a bed of lettuce a blank canvas for a visual and palate-pleasing masterpiece.
Spinach lovers can mix leaves with chunks of mozzarella, freshly sliced strawberries, a few mini crostini and a drizzle of rich balsamic vinegar, for example. Top it with pre-cooked chicken and this salad becomes a meal.
An Asian-inspired salad looks something like this: lettuce, cabbage or other greens of choice, orange or tangerine sections, almond slivers, green onions, snap peas, carrots, mukimame, chopped dates and a drizzle of miso vinaigrette.
Think beyond the greens
A bed of lettuce is a classic salad starter, but salads go way beyond the greens! For example, turn traditional potato salad into a fresh, seasonal dish by combining roasted sweet potato chunks and red onion slices as the base instead of regular russets. Then make a dressing with vinegar, honey, a little olive oil and some fresh herbs. Drizzle it over the potatoes and onions, mix well, then top with crumbled goat cheese (or other soft cheese of choice), pepitas (or other seed or nut) and diced dates.
Broccoli slaw is another popular way to use fresh, in-season produce to create a bright, crisp salad. Cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces then mix with mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Rather than the traditional raisins, consider swapping in chopped dates. Then mix in sunflower seeds or walnuts and shredded cheddar. Voila!
Asparagus can also become the start of a verdant spring salad when lightly blanched and then added to a bed of lettuce with slivers of radish (watermelon radishes make for stunning presentation), spring peas, chunks of brie cheese, avocado and fresh herbs of choice. A quick citrus-based dressing can be whipped together with lemon juice, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar, minced garlic, a tad of good mustard and olive oil.
Asparagus and broccoli make for great additions to spring pasta salads. Toss with lemons, herbs, parmesan and other complementary ingredients for a light and refreshing spring meal.
This season, get creative with in-season fruits, vegetables—and, of course, delightful dates! Stop into the Palm & Pantry or order provisions (and gifts!) online.