Fresh salad is good for the body and for the tastebuds. I love going out to harvest a little bunch of lettuce and bringing it in for a salad. We offer a mix of lettuces that you can start in early spring or late summer for spring and fall salads. You can find those here. Lettuce can be grown indoors as well since it tolerates partial shade. This recipe is light and has a wonderful citrusy taste. It’s perfect for parties and gatherings.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Servings: Makes one large salad as seen in the photos.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD

4-6 cups Lettuce mix

2 apples

4 large carrots or 10 baby carrots

4-6 sweet peppers

1 cucumber

4-6 oz goat cheese

1 package of craisins

*You can adjust any of the above measurements to match your personal preference.

FOR THE DRESSING

Juice of 1 lemon

Equal amount of canola oil as lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

Salt

Pepper

*Mix and let sit a couple hours in advance

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start with the dressing. Mix it up thoroughly and allow it time to sit in the fridge if you have that option.

2. Chop lettuce. I like to use a variation of lettuces to add color and variety.

3. Chop all your vegetables into small pieces. I like to slice the cucumber and I make sure the peppers and carrots are diced into small bits.

4. Sprinkle all the toppings over the lettuce. Do not add the dressings until just before you are ready to serve the salad. Once the dressing has been put on, the salad will not keep.

5. As soon as you are ready to serve, coat all the ingredients with the dressing.

If you’re interested in growing any of the other ingredients in this salad they can be found here: cucumber, red pepper , carrot. Cucumbers and peppers should be started in early spring and carrots are a cold crop that can be started in early spring or direct sown in mid/late summer so that they mature in the fall (later if you’re in zone 8+ or earlier if you’re in zone 4 or lower).

Thank you to Emily Davis for letting me post her recipe. This is one that she came up with and would bring to family parties and baby showers. I loved it so much that I asked her for the recipe and it’s become one of my favorites for summer evenings alongside fish or quiche.