Making meals green

It’s really arrived! After a bit long Michigan winter, we all have been looking forward to sunny, warmer days. Even though it’s too early to enjoy the bounty of our gardens or local farmer’s markets, there are many fresh, spring-like foods offered at our local grocery stores.

Just take a look at all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available. It can be a bunch of grapes (black, red or white), fresh pineapple or any variety of berries. They all offer so many delicious possibilities, either alone or combined. Also, when you go one step further and mix the fruits with light and refreshing greens, you’ll create a salad that seems to promise warm and sunny days plus great taste. Strawberries and baby spinach are such a flavorful and pretty combination as well as being loaded with nutrition. Add some toasted pecans for crunch to complete a delightful accompaniment for any entrée.

Today’s Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Pecans is dressed with light and tasty poppy seed dressing. The recipe makes about 1-1/3 cups dressing; if you don’t use it all, it may be refrigerated in a sealed glass jar for up to a week. Or, if you have a favorite brand of poppy seed dressing, it will be fine.

Another delightful spinach salad is the Summer Crunch Salad. If you haven’t enjoyed jicama before, you’re in for a real taste treat. This bulbous root vegetable tastes like a combination of apple and water chestnut. To prepare it, peel away the tough skin with a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife to reveal the milky white flesh. Then you can prepare it in various ways. It can be shredded on a box grater, cut into thin rounds or sliced into matchsticks, as in today’s recipe. The salad may be made a few hours ahead, and refrigerated and covered. Don’t dress it until ready to serve.

Our markets offer several wonderful and nutritious organic greens. Besides baby spinach, arugula and romaine hearts, there are mesclun and spring mix. Mesclun, often labeled spring mix, is a potpourri of young, small salad greens. It varies depending on the source but can contain arugula, dandelion, frisee, oak leaf, mache, radicchio and sorrel. When purchasing, always check the “sell by” date since these are tender and fragile greens. Choose a package with crisp leaves and no sign of wilting. They may be refrigerated and sealed for up to five days. The dressing recipe makes about two cups; any leftover dressing may be stored in an airtight container. It will keep nicely for three to four days.

A very tasty accompaniment for this or other green salads is crispy tortilla strips. They’re so easy to make. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat about 2 inches canola or peanut oil to 350 degrees. Stack four corn tortillas on a cutting board and, using a sharp chef’s knife, cut into strips. Repeat with four more tortillas. In two batches, deep-fry the tortilla strips in the hot oil until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove with a metal strainer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper while still hot. If you’re not enthused about making your own, our grocery stores offer a fine variety. An especially good one is Tostitos with a hint of lime. They’re light, crisp as can be and so tasty!

Isn’t it great that our markets offer such a fantastic selection of healthful and delicious fruits and vegetables for us to enjoy even before they’re available in our gardens or orchards? All we have to do is decide which ones to select for our next dining pleasure. Happy shopping!