Spring Salad with Roasted Fennel & Coconut Vinaigrette

 

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?

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