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| A favorite addition to 4th of July BBQ's! |
The 4th of July is the official start of BBQ
season in my book! Celebrating America’s birthday could not get any better than
enjoying some delicious summer cocktails and tangy, smoky meat straight off the
grill. While I’m a huge fan of the traditional potato salad, baked beans and
grilled corn, I always enjoy introducing a fresh and fun side to the BBQ mix.
This flavorful red, white and blue salad is just as satisfying as it is light
and healthy. The berries in this dish are full of vitamins (like K and C), but
also have phytonutrients, which food scientists believe may increase the
metabolism of fat cells (helloooo, bikini season). The pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, in this dish add a crunchy, earthy
flavor and are also high in magnesium and zinc. This festive salad will be a
delicious and festive addition to any 4th of July party!
My favorite part of this salad is the dressing. This
vinaigrette is unlike the bottled variety with no syrupy, overly sweet after
taste. The fresh raspberries and hint of mint enliven the salad and won’t give
you a sugar high; you’ll have to wait for the dessert table to accomplish that!
Blueberry – Pepita Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Salad
6 cups fresh mixed greens (any leafy green you like will do)
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup pepitas, shelled (pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup radishes, halved and thinly sliced
3 to 4 ounces goat cheese
10 mint leaves, if desired
Vinaigrette
1 cup fresh raspberries (frozen will also work)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup walnut oil (grapeseed or pumpkin seed oil work well,
too)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp water
3 large mint leaves
pinch of cinnamon
Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven to 375˚. Spread pumpkin seeds in a thin layer
on a pan and roast for 10 minutes to release flavors and crisp. Remove from
oven and let cool.
When making this dish start with the vinaigrette. Letting it
sit while you’re making the salad allows the mint flavor to bloom. In a food processor or blender purée raspberries, lemon juice and lemon zest.
With the food processor running, slowly add the oil first, then the honey. Make sure to taste the vinaigrette after
adding the honey. Depending on how tart the lemon you use is, you may want to
add a bit more honey. In full disclosure, I prefer this vinaigrette to be tart
and tangy, but if you enjoy sweeter dressings you may consider doubling the
amount of honey. Add water to thin
if desired. Add mint leaves, cinnamon,
salt and pepper and pulse about 5 times to combine. Set aside.
In a large serving bowl, combine greens, ½ cup blue berries,
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, ⅛ cup
radishes and salt and pepper. Toss with half of dressing until combined.
Scatter remaining blueberries, pumpkin seeds and radishes on top. Crumble goat
cheese on top of the salad. If you’re a big mint fan, chiffonade 10 mint leaves
and sprinkle over the salad. Drizzle remaining dressing on top, or set next to
the salad bowl in a serving dish so guests can add it themselves.
If you want to make this salad a full meal, as I sometimes
do on hot summer days, add some grilled chicken and you’ll surely be satisfied.
Enjoy with a mint julep (the perfect summer cocktail) and
plenty of BBQ! Have a very happy 4th of July!
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| I love the colors in this salad! So summery and fun. |
