Just a simple salad

sal·ad noun: a usually cold dish consisting of vegetables, as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat, or eggs.  

When we think of salad, the definition above is usually what comes to mind to most of us.  Now, I love salad, but I have to admit that topping some lettuce with a few vegetables from the fridge can get a little boring, but salads are such a great way to enjoy veggies whether they are raw or cooked.  It's also very easy to turn a salad into a meal simply by adding a grain or seed like wild rice, noodles, or quinoa, and a protein source like chicken, tofu, or fish, dress it up with a little olive oil and lemon juice, and it's done.  The key to enjoying salads is to get creative and add a few ingredients that will give your salad color, texture, and of course flavor!  Here are a few suggestions:

- Roasted butternut squash, goat cheese and toasted pecans

- Fresh crispy apple, parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds

- Mandarin oranges and fennel

- Feta cheese, corn and dates

- Mango, raspberries and avocado 

Having said all of this, a salad does not always have to include lettuce, it's not like it's a rule! For this month's recipe I thought I would share a simple salad that my mom made this summer that I thought was just brilliant because I never would have put these ingredients together! It's crispy and fresh, and best of all, it took 10 minutes to make.

Fennel and Radish Salad

Ingredients

1 Fennel bulb, green stalks removed, and thinly slice the white part.  Keep the leaves, chop them finely to garnish the salad

1 bunch of radishes, sliced thinly

2 tbsp capers, rinsed

1/4 cup of olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Combine ingredients together, let sit for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine and serve!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc