Dr. Sally’s Spring Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette

Serves 2 in 15 minutes

This salad is easy to make and teaming with the fiber, protein, good fats and phytonutrients to optimize immunity, lower blood pressure and balance blood. But it is the Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette that takes it over the top. I hope it will become one of your favorites!

For the Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette (makes ~ 1 cup)

  • Juice of 1 lemon (~ 2 or 3 tablespoons)

  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots

  • 2 tablespoons citrus champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoons honey

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • ¼ cup avocado oil

  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a small jar, soak the minced shallots in lemon juice for at least 10 minutes (but up to an hour is fine). Add the vinegar, honey, oil, salt and pepper and shake vigorously. Store for up to a week in the fridge.

For the Arugula Salad with Golden Beets, Goat Cheese and Green Olives               

  • 2-4 cups arugula or 1-2 cups spinach and 1-2 cup baby greens                                      

  • ½ cup roasted golden beets, diced                                                                                   

  • ½ cup goat cheese, crumbled                                                                                            

  • ¼ cup Castelvetrano Green Olives, pitted and sliced *                                                     

  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted   

Marinade for the beets                                                                                                    

  • 1 cup beets, roasted

  • 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 

  • 1 tsp. maple syrup

  • 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar                                                                                                     

  • ½ t. fresh tarragon or marjoram if available                                                                  

  • Pinch of salt

Roast or steam/boil the beets until tender (25-30 minutes). Rinse in cool water, then scrub off the skin and dice. Drizzle the olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, salt and herbs over the beets and refrigerate until use.

To assemble the salad, toss the greens lightly with the lemon shallot vinaigrette. Create a bed of the greens on the serving plate. Layer on the golden beets, crumbled goat cheese, green olives and toasted pine nuts. Enjoy!

* If you think you don’t like olives, please think again: these Castelvetrano olives are worth a try because they’re totally different than the gross, black canned things and don’t have the bitterness or brininess of most other olives. Just buttery, salty, green fruit! YUM!

Sally LaMont, ND, LAc