Spring is officially here and I couldn’t be more excited about the changing variety of fresh produce.
This Grilled Spring Salad embraces all my favorite seasonal flavors in one savory, crunchy, nourishing recipe with a tangy lemon-mint dressing and a garlicky almond spread.
The variety of colorful vegetables in this dish provide a wide range of phytochemicals and nutrients. For the best texture, the veggies need a few different cooking times, and I’ve found an outdoor grill is the easiest way to manage that. You can definitely use a cast iron skillet indoors for the same outcome, it may just take a little longer.
I know you’ll love this recipe as much as I do.
Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, MD
Ingredients:
Almond Spread
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked in boiling water
- 2 large garlic cloves
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup chives, chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅓ cup water
Grilled Salad
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks (reserve carrot tops if available)
- 1 bunch broccolini
- 1 ½ cups romanesco or cauliflower florets
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 bunch of radishes, halved lengthwise
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup avocado oil, for grilling
Dressing
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Method:
1. Begin by soaking the almonds in boiling water to loosen the skins. Set aside while continuing with vegetables.
2. Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and prepare all of the cut vegetables on trays. If using an outdoor grill, preheat the grill to medium-high, around 425°F. Brush the vegetables with the avocado oil. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the vegetables in batches.
3. Start with the densest vegetables that need to cook the longest, use the time guide below as a reference for cooking times and make sure to turn each veggie once halfway through. Vegetable cooking time guide: Carrots 5 - 7 minutes Broccolini 5 - 7 minutes Romanesco 6 - 7 minutes Green beans 4 - 6 minutes Asparagus 4 - 6 minutes Summer squash and zucchini 5 - 7 Radishes, 1 - 2 minutes (just until charred) Avocado 2 - 3 minutes
4. While the vegetables are grilling, remove the almond skins by simply pinching them off. Drain the cleaned almonds then add them to a high-speed blender along with all of the remaining almond spread ingredients. Blend until smooth.The consistency should be similar to hummus.
5. To prepare the dressing, combine the shallots, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Thinly slice the mint and about ¼ cup of the carrot tops (if available) and add them to the shallot mixture. Stir to combine and set aside.
6. Once all of the vegetables are done, roughly chop the zucchini and squash. Slice the green beans, broccolini, and asparagus into 2 - 3 segments each.
7. Combine all of the vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss well with the shallot dressing.
8. To serve, swirl the almond spread out on a platter and top with the grilled veggie salad. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories: 307, Total Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 249mg, Carbohydrates: 20g, Fiber: 9g, Sugars: 7g, Protein: 9g, Net Carbs: 11g