It’s time for all things fresh and spring! Enjoy this spinach salad as a meal or as a side dish – fresh organic spinach, strawberries, rye bread, asparagus, pistachios, bee pollen, goat cheese, and balsamic all come together in perfect flavor harmony.

Happy Week 1 of Taproot Farm’s Summer CSA! I am THRILLED to be on board again for this season as the recipe creator for their delicious organic produce! As the season progresses, please feel free to share feedback/ideas/things you are looking for. I am happy to help in any way I can so you all can make the most of this beautiful and delicious in-season local goodness! Special thanks to Ola, George, and team for all they do to bring this sunshine into our kitchens and onto our plates.

This salad is simple in both ingredients and preparation. It serves as the perfect go-to meal when you want something that looks “fancy” but takes under five minutes to make. There’s a lot of fun flavors and textures that go into the final product, and maybe a few additions you wouldn’t have initially thought to use in an everyday salad recipe. This was actually my first time eating raw asparagus (normally I bake/grill/sauté it) and I was super impressed how great it tasted. I hope you all enjoy this as much as my family has! Happy eating! 🙂

Makes About 4 Medium Salads

Recipe by © Alysha Melnyk 2019

Kitchen Tools:

Knife

Peeler

Toaster

Ingredients:

1 Bag Spinach (*If you already used your spinach for the week, feel free to use torn kale or chopped romaine as easy additions for the base!)

2 Cups Strawberries (*This salad works well with any in-season fruit, so feel free to mix it up as the summer progresses! I am excited to try this with peaches once they are in season.)

4 Slices Bread of Choice (I used a local rye bread)

1/3 Cup Goat Cheese Crumbles (*Or alternative dairy or dairy-free cheese of choice)

Half a Bunch of Asparagus (*Check out your local farmer’s markets – in season now!)

2 Teaspoons Bee Pollen (*Your local apiary or orchard typically carries this – great nontraditional salad ingredient. Also great as a toast topper!)

1/4 Cup Pistachio Pieces

Balsamic Reduction (*Or favorite salad dressing of choice)

Black Pepper/Sea Salt to Taste

Other Ideas/Options: Got some French Breakfast Radishes? Slice them up and add them in! Other veggies like carrots or kohlrabi? Great crunchy additions!

*Feel free to add the amounts of each ingredient you prefer/it’s easy to make one serving at a time for this! :)*

Instructions:

1. First, add your spinach as the base (I used the whole leaves and ate my salad with a knife for cutting, but using scissors or a knife to cut the spinach into bite-sized pieces in advance makes it easier for consuming!).
2. Toast your bread of choice in your toaster and cut or tear into desired pieces. Add on top of the spinach.
3. Slice your strawberries and sprinkle on top.
4. Either peel your asparagus into pieces lengthwise using a hand peeler (makes for the pretty ribbons pictured) or chop into smaller bite-sized pieces for easy eating. Add on top.
5. Sprinkle on goat cheese crumbles, pistachio pieces, bee pollen, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle balsamic reduction or dressing of choice.
6. Enjoy right away! 🙂 This salad is best eaten right when it is prepared versus stored.