Spring Salad with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

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Spring Salad with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

Prep Time15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: balm, lemon, salad dressing, vinaigrette

Servings:

Calories: 332kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

3 Garlic Cloves
⅓ Cup White Wine Vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Mayo Homemade is best but any will do
1 Tablespoon Honey
5 grams Lemon Balm 10-15 leaves
1 Cup Oil I used half olive oil and half grapeseed oil

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 Cup Raw Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 teaspoons Coconut Oil
Sea Salt to taste

Spring Salad (this makes a lot of salad but feel free to adapt amounts)

1.5 pounds lettuce washed and torn into pieces
5 Radishes sliced thin
4-5 Green Onions Chopped
1 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano finely shredded
½ Cup Raisins optional

Instructions

Toast the garlic cloves using the following method. Preheat a frying pan to medium heat and add a little oil in the bottom. Place the cloves on the pan with the peels still on.
Cook the garlic for a few minutes on each side. The peel will get brown and the garlic will soften a bit.
Let the garlic cool in the pan while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a blender add in the vinegar, sea salt, mayo, honey, lemon balm.
Peel the garlic and add to the blender.
Blend until smooth.
As the blender is running slowly add in the oil. When done correctly, the oil and vinegar mixture will not separate.
Pour in a container and set aside.
Toast the pepitas using the following method. Preheat a frying pan to medium heat and add 2 teaspoons coconut oil in the bottom. Place the pepitas in the pan, and allow to toast until brown, stirring often. The seeds will burn easy so keep an eye on them. Sprinkle sea salt to taste and let cool. (Yes I’m a big fan of toasting! Also, these pumpkin seeds are addicting. Sorry in advance.)
Add lettuce, radishes, green onions, and parmigiano reggiano, and raisins -if you choose.
Serve into individual bowls and add a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.
Top with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette.

Notes

The salad is adaptable based on what you have available in your garden. It's meant to be a jumping off point. For example you can omit radishes and use carrots instead if that's what you have available.

Nutrition