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A stroke of genius, and a stroke of good luck brought two tangy ingredients together as I reminisced and longed for warmer days. Daylight savings seemed to spring me forwards with inspiration this year - in the form of this GLORIOUS Greens Salad. Sweet pineapple meets spicy jalapeño in the dressing, and it's something truly beautiful and bright. I can't get enough of this salad! Prepare for the heat, but then cool down with cucumber and mint! Totally unforgettable!
For this recipe, you'll need to stop by the freezer section for some frozen pineapple, which I just microwaved for a minute to allow the juice to drip out a bit and the pineapple to soften. You'll need also to search for some nice firm jalapeño peppers - they generally keep for awhile, so don't worry about letting more than one go to waste - you can pop them into any curry, chili, or my delicious roasted salsa recipe found here!
Finally, you'll need a fancy dinner party to show off this gorgeous salad. Make Glorious Greens Salad with Pineapple-Jalapeño Dressing to take with you to work, for date night, or to a "pretentious potluck"! It's sure to impress all parts of the taste palate!
Glorious Greens Salad with Pineapple-Jalapeño Dressing
(Serves 4. Vegan Option, Gluten-free Option, Raw)
Ingredients
4 cups fresh organic spinach
1 medium or 2/3 large cucumber
1/4 white or purple onion
1/4 bunch fresh parsley leaves
1/4 bunch fresh mint leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup frozen pineapple, melted slightly
1/2 large or 1 small green jalapeño
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste
Optional toppings per serving:
1/4 avocado per bowl
1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or hemp hearts
1 cup roasted or rinsed canned chickpeas
2/3 cup cubed roasted or boiled potatoes or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup roasted or boiled butternut squash
Preparation
Roughly chop washed spinach. Slice cucumber in "dollars", then quarter. Slice onion thinly or chop into fine diced pieces. Finely chop parsley and mint (but if serving later, wait to chop the mint to preserve the green colour). Toss all ingredients together, and prepare optional toppings if adding to this salad.
In a blender, combine remaining ingredients: crushed garlic, jalapeño, pineapple, ACV, vinegar, olive oil, and water. Blend well - leave out some of the jalapeño seeds if you prefer less spice. Chill dressing 1 hour if desired, or overnight, to help the flavours more richly blend together.