Green Power Salad

January 29, 2015

This delicious green power salad makes it easy to eat your vegetables.  Mixed greens and fresh spinach are combined with an assortment of green foods including scallions, cucumber, avocado, green beans and a homemade edamame hummus.  With a simple vinaigrette of olive oil and lemon juice, the dressing highlights the ingredients natural flavors instead of masking it.  This is one meal you can feel good about.

Green Power Salad

Ingredients:

For the salad:
2 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 cup French green beans
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped (white and light green parts only
1/2 cup edamame hummus (recipe below)
1 avocado, sliced
1 medium English cucumber, sliced
juice from half a lemon
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 

For the edamame hummus:
8 oz. frozen edamame
1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup tahini (sesame-seed paste)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons), juiced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (if you like it spicy)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley 

Directions:

For the hummus:

Step 1: Boil the beans in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.

Step 2: In a food processor, puree the Edamame, tahini, water, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, and chili flakes (optional) until smooth.

Step 3: With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix until absorbed.

Step 4: Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the parsley and drizzle with remaining oil. Serve, or refrigerate, covered, up to 3 days.

For the salad:

Step 1: Cook the green beans in boiling salted water until tender but still crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Rinse the beans immediately under cold water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.  You can also shock them directly into an ice bath.

Step 2: Arrange the greens on four plates and add the scallions, green beans, cucumber, and avocado.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the top.  Serve with a dollop of edamame hummus.

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