In the spring season, many of us find that our cravings shift from hearty casseroles and thick cornbreads to lighter, fresh ingredients. Here are two delicious, easy-to-make springtime feasts that features vibrant fruits and greens befitting of the season.
POMEGRANATE SALAD: Featuring fuchsia-hued seeds loaded with nutrients, this salad not only looks like it’s sprinkled in gemstones — it tastes like a treasure as well.
Here’s what you need for the salad:
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ cup sugar
1 pomegranate, peeled with seeds separated
¼ red onion
1 package of mixed baby greens
8 oz. of goat, feta or ricotta cheese
Here’s what you need for the dressing:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, zested
Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Put the walnuts (or pecans), butter and sugar in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Make sure the nuts and sugar do not burn. Once the nuts are coated in a shiny caramel-colored layer of sugar, put them aside to cool.
- Cut the red onion into thin slices.
- If you haven’t already, de-seed the pomegranate. (Tip: Cut the fruit in quarters, then remove the seeds. Some of the white skin will come off as you do this. If you put everything into a large bowl with water, the white substance will float to the top, making it easier to separate the seeds from the rest.)
- Put the greens, pomegranate seeds, cheese, nuts and sliced red onion into a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss.
- That’s a wrap! Serve this dish with an ice cold glass of lemonade, or a fruity spritzer.
SOBA NOODLES: This cold noodle dish is perfect for a warm spring evening, just as the sun goes down.
What you need:
½ cup spring peas
Salt and pepper
1 serrano chile, sliced
¼ cup kimchi juice (drained from a jar)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar, unseasoned
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon peeled ginger
½ teaspoon sesame oil
6 oz. dried soba noodles
2 cups pea shoots
1 cup watercress greens
1 cup quartered radishes
4 soft-boiled eggs, quartered
Sliced scallions
Directions:
- Cook the pea shoots in a pot of boiling water until tender. Drain, and set aside to cool.
- Bring pea pods to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until soft.
- Whisk kimchi juice, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, sesame oil and chile together.
- If you haven’t already, hard boil the eggs. Do this by carefully placing the eggs (so the shells don’t crack) into boiling water and letting cook for exactly 7 minutes. Remove the eggs carefully, rinse under cool water, peel and quarter them.
- Cook soba noodles in a pot of boiling salted water. Then, put noodles in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, and drain.
- Add noodles to bowl with mixture, along with pea pods, pea shoots, radishes, watercress greens. Toss until coated evenly.
- Divide portions into serving bowls. Top them with scallion slices and the egg — yum!
As the days grow longer, the sun shines brighter, and the flowers start to bloom, welcome the spring season with these yummy, easy-to-make springtime dishes. Host a spring potluck or surprise your significant other with a homemade date night. Bon appetit!
