Citrus Blossom Salad

In the middle of winter, most salads fail to hit the spot because the produce isle is generally sad and farmers markets are closed (though this roasted sweet potato and kale salad is usually a good bet). Around January citrus finally hits the shelves, freshly picked and shipped from warmer climates. It’s in that window that this salad should take the spotlight, a perfect stage for citrus varieties you can’t easily find other times of the year.

Orange flower water adds a subtle, elegant twist to the vinaigrette in this recipe (and also how it got its name). It smells incredible and one bottle will last you forever (plus, you’ll be one step closer to making baklava).

Serve this salad with with roasted chicken, a panini, or a warm stew like tagine to make a meal.

Citrus Blossom Salad

Published January 4, 2021 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 head tender romaine lettuce, washed and spun or patted dry

3 oranges (for a fun pop of color, mix-and-match a variety of oranges: cara cara oranges for pink, blood oranges for deeper red, valencia/navel for traditional orange)

¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 cup feta crumbles

1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves

Optional: Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For Orange Blossom Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon Orange Blossom Water (affiliate link)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Arrange lettuce on 4 plates, optionally tearing with your hands to remove any tough stem pieces.
2. Segment the oranges by slicing off the peels with a knife, and then carefully cutting segments out from between the pith. It can be helpful to do this over a bowl, to catch any juice. Reserve the left over pieces — we’ll use them to make the vinaigrette. Here is a good video on how to do this. Arrange orange slices over the lettuce.
3. Sprinkle walnuts and feta over each salad, and sprinkle with parsley.
4. Prepare vinaigrette: Squeeze as much juice from the remaining orange pieces into a bowl. Add salt, orange blossom water and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Drizzle to taste over salads.
5. Top with freshly cracked pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Ramen Noodle Salad

Quick work day lunch. Lazy dinner.  Full of veggies, bright with flavor, and satisfying. Adaptable. Easy camping meal (and yes, there is still camping left to do this year!). This dish is all of those things, which is likely why it’s become a repeat hit for us this summer. 

I stocked up on ramen noodles from Costco early last spring, and since they’ve become a fall back when I don’t want to go to the grocery store, or when I don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking. When weather turned hot, ramen went from soup to salad with surprising ease. I had extra appreciation for this meal just a few weeks ago, when I packed up a container of veggies and two packets of ramen noodles as a camping dinner. It was one of the fastest, mess- and stress-free camping dinners I’ve had! .

This is more of a concept than a recipe. What I mean is you can swap ingredients in or out based on what you have. Just keep the concept in mind, which has a few core ingredient categories: ramen noodles, veggies and herbs, dressing, and crunchy toppings. From there, make it your own. Protein, like soy beans, tofu, or chicken/shrimp are optional bonuses.

Ramen Noodle Salad

Published September 22, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 2   |    Active Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 packets ramen noodles (remove sauce or flavoring packets; they will not be used)

Water, for cooking noodles

2-3 cups fresh vegetables, such as: lettuce, spring greens, cubed avocado, julienned carrots, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, snow pea, sugar snap peas, sliced radishes

1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as: Thai basil, Genovese basil, mint, cilantro, sliced green onions

2 tablespoons crunchy toppings, such as: toasted sesame seeds, slivered almonds, toasted cashews

Optional: 4 ounces protein, such as: steamed soy beans (edamame), tofu, roasted chicken, or shrimp

Optional, for added spice when serving: chili flakes or minced fresh Thai chilis to taste

For the dressing:

1/4 cup white rice vinegar

2 tablespoons cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon sambal olek (chile-garlic sauce) or Sriracha

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to directions on package, but do not use any flavor packets or sauce included with them. Once cooked through, drain noodles through a strainer and rinse with cold water to cool.
2. Divide cold noodles amongst serving bowls. Arrange chopped vegetables over top, along with herbs, and optional protein.
3. In a jar, combine ingredients for dressing. Place lid on jar and shake to combine. Drizzle dressing over noodles and veggies.
4. Top with toasted sesame seeds and/or nuts. Add chili flakes or minced Thai chilies to taste for add spice, and serve.

Spicy Watermelon & Avocado Salad

I've had a lot of mediocre watermelons in my life. You know what I'm talking about. There a little bit foamy, light pink and only slightly sweet. When I buy one of these watermelons it's because it's the first one I've seen all season. I can't help myself! It is an impulse buy. And then, a week later you are there in your kitchen looking at a half eaten mediocre watermelon. A lifeless, flavorless watermelon.

But oh! When you just wait one more month! When you start buying watermelons right around the peak of summer! That is when watermelons are heavy with juice, almost red, and as sweet as can be.

Of course, the same goes for avocados. I know you know what I'm talking about. I know you've bought one of those avocados before. Out of desperation. It was hard as a rock. But you told yourself it would alright. Just give it a few days on the counter and it'd be ready.

Needless to say, it never did quite get ripe or develop that perfect avocadoness. But, now! Now is the time to buy avocados. They are plentiful and ripe and soft. And what is better than a perfectly ripe avocado?

Where am I going with this do you ask? Let me tell you where I'm going. It's this salad. The first layer is soft, delicate butterhead lettuce (my favorite variety of lettuce). It's crisp and perfect in salads. I usually buy butterhead by the head, but often the outer leaves are torn or bruised by the time I make it home from the store. So I was SUPER excited when OrganicGirl announced that their next salad blend was going to be my very favorite: a pre-washed, organic blend of butterhead lettuce hearts!  And just in time for watermelon and avocado season to collide.

Destiny? I think so. 

Avocado and watermelon complement each other well: sweet and savory; creamy and crisp; fresh and bold. Both benefit from the addition of a little spice (I'm talking about you, jalapeño!)

Drizzle it with cilantro lime vinaigrette. Get out a fork and eat the whole platter yourself. Or, ok, share if you really want to. 

OrganicGirl provided me with product for this blog post, but the recipes and opinions are all my own. Working with brands to develop wholesome recipes is one way I keep Foraged Dish going! OrganicGirl helps me stock the pantry and keep the blog going. I only work with brands that I truly enjoy and use.  

Spicy Watermelon & Avocado Salad

Published June 29, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Buy watermelon and avocado in their peak season!

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup watermelon, sliced thin
• 1 5-ounce container OrganicGirl Butter Greens 
• 1 cup clover sprouts 
• 1 avocado, sliced thin
• 1 jalapeño, sliced thin
• 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Spread butterhead lettuce in a single layer on a platter or in a salad bowl. Top with sprouts, slices of watermelon and avocado, and slices of jalapeño. (Optional: if you do not like spicy food, consider de-seeding the jalapeño! Wash hands thoroughly after cutting and avoid touching your eyes).
2. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad when ready to serve. Enjoy!