Spring Salad with Roasted Fennel & Coconut Vinaigrette

Spring Salad with Roasted Fennel & Coconut Vinaigrette

A fresh spring salad with roasted fennel, pecans, and coconut vinaigrette dressing 

If you find yourself going for the same old’ salad with the same old’ dressing…

Let’s make a salad more interesting today! Besides, the more variety of fresh fruits and veggies we can eat each day, the better off we are, right?

You can easily enhance a salad with…

  • fruit — citrus or berries work wonderfully
  • roasted vegetables — these bring a whole new depth or flavor as well as texture
  • fresh herbs — parsley, dill, and thyme are great options
  • unique homemade dressings

Here’s a delicious and colorful salad that uses all of the above.

Spring Salad With Roasted Fennel & Coconut Vinaigrette

Roasted fennel is a key ingredient, and it adds a lovely aroma and unique flavor that’s similar to licorice and anise. Fennel’s crunch is much like that of celery, which blends well with greens and other vegetables.

Besides adding extra flavor and texture, fennel is high in vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. It’s also a great source of phosphorous and folate.

Fennel pairs beautifully with citrus fruits. This recipe uses oranges, but grapefruit or mandarins would be excellent as well.

In addition to the delightful blend of fennel and orange, this salad is noteworthy because of it’s remarkable homemade dressing, which combines the robust flavor of high-quality olive oil, with the delicate sweetness of coconut syrup.

Another fantastic ingredient is Wildly Organic’s raw, soaked and dried organic pecans. I can’t sufficiently explain how amazing and crunchy these pecans are!

Besides their amazing flavor, Wildly Organic’s soaked and dried pecans are super crunchy, adding a crispy texture to this salad (and any other salad, for that matter!).

Soaked and dried? you ask.

Soaked and dried nuts are better for us because they are lower in phytic acid and, therefore, easier to digest than unsoaked nuts. You can soak and dry nuts yourself, but it requires some pre-planning. Or, you can take a shortcut and take advantage of a variety of pre-soaked and dried nuts and seeds!  They sure do make life easier!

This makes an excellent side salad, but could also be served as a main meal simply by topping it with some shredded chicken, grilled salmon, or boiled eggs for protein, if desired.

Now that Spring is here, what exciting veggies and fruits are you adding to salads?

Spring Salad with Roasted Fennel
Roasted spring fennel adds anise flavor that complements the citrus in this salad. Crispy pecans add texture, while a tart-sweet coconut vinaigrette finishes the whole thing. Add grilled or shredded chicken, salmon, or hard-boiled eggs for a complete salad-meal!
    Ingredients
    Spring Salad With Roasted Fennel
    Coconut Vinaigrette
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim fronds from the fennel and slice into 1/4 inch thick wedges. Place on baking tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to coat the wedges.
    2. Bake 40-45 minutes until the fennel is tender, turning once or twice during cooking. Remove from baking tray and let cool.
    3. While the fennel is roasting, make the dressing by adding the olive oil, coconut vinegar, coconut syrup, and red wine vinegar to a bowl. Whisk until well combined.
    4. Add the thyme, minced shallot, salt, and pepper and stir to distribute evenly.
    5. Peel and slice oranges into wedges.
    6. Place baby spring mix (or other greens) in a large bowl. Add the oranges and gently toss to combine.
    7. Drizzle dressing over greens and orange and toss to distribute throughout.
    8. Top with roasted fennel and gently toss once more.
    9. Serve as a side dish or add shredded chicken to create a main dish salad.

    The post Spring Salad with Roasted Fennel & Coconut Vinaigrette appeared first on Wildly Organic.


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