The best thing about summer salads is the variety of leafy greens that grow in Montana gardens: arugula, romaine, radicchio, endive, turnip greens, cabbage, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, bok choy, beet leaves, carrot tops, parsley, basil, cilantro, dill. And don’t forget all of the beautiful edible flowers. But we have our go-tos, don’t we? We all have that salad, that one we know the ratios for by heart. The one we grow veggies for so that they are ready at a moment’s notice. The one that friends ask us to bring for backyard barbecues. For me, this is that salad.
SERVES 4–6
For the salad
8 cups mixed greens lettuce, loosely packed
⅓ cup fresh dill, chopped
⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup pepitas (optional)
2 tablespoons feta cheese (optional)
Edible flowers (optional)
For the dressing
1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons raw honey
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce greens, dill, parsley, cucumber, avocado, and red onion.
Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a 1-pint mason jar. Cap and shake until well mixed and the honey has dissolved.
Just before serving, toss the dressing into the salad greens and top with pepitas, crumbled feta cheese, and edible flowers. I feel greener, happier, and a little bit healthier just thinking about it!
