Butter Lettuce, Radish, Mint Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

Spring has sprung! The flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and a new bunch of seasonal fruits and vegetables are popping up. When it starts to warm up in California, nothing sounds more refreshing that a beautiful, colorful salad!

I put this salad together one night after some inspiration from one of my favorite cookbooks, Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden, and the fam loved it! Even my 5 and 8 year old boys gobbled it up. We paired it with some wild-caught sea bass, but honestly, you could have it with just about anything.

Here are some of the nutritional benefits:

• Butter lettuce is a very mild, soft lettuce that is rich in iron, vitamin A and vitamin K. Keep in mind that it’s plant non-heme iron which is harder for the body to absorb; however, when paired with vitamin C (like citrus fruits), the iron is more bio-available.

• Shallots are part of the onion family and, like all onions, are packed with antioxidants and that help fight free radicals in the body. They also contain the organosulfur compound, allicin, which is a great antimicrobial. For their size, shallots also pack a decent amount of protein, fiber, and micronutrients.

• Radishes are part of the Brassica family (like broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts). Brassica vegetables have anticancer properties and are also great for properly metabolizing hormones in the body. Radishes have very little calories and are chock-full of nutrients like vitamin C which can calm stomach discomfort and help with bile flow.

• Mint leaves provide a fresh, cooling taste to dishes, and also have antioxidant properties that fight against oxidative stress. Mint is an especially good source of vitamin A.

• Pine nuts are a great source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats which are anti-inflammatory and beneficial for heart health, brain health, and blood sugar dysregulation. Pine nuts are also rich in magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, iron, and fat-soluble vitamins K & E.

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of butter lettuce, washed, roughly chopped and dried in a salad spinner

• 2 shallot bulbs, quartered and diced

• 3-4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 small handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup or 1 jar coconut yogurt (my favorite is Culina plain and simple)

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt (my favorite is Redmond Real Salt)

• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pour the coconut yogurt in a bowl and stir in the smashed garlic. Let sit in the fridge for about an hour so the garlic can infuse the yogurt. After an hour, fish out the garlic pieces and discard.

Once the garlic has been removed, add the lemon juice and the olive oil and whisk it to combine. Once it’s blended, add in the lemon zest, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste preference.

Instructions:

• Combine the lettuce, shallots, radishes and mint in a large bowl. Add the coconut lemon dressing and toss well. Top with the toasted pine nuts and enjoy!