Cooling Lemon Poppy Salad
This salad is crispy, light, easy to make and just special enough due to the touches of nutty poppyseeds and creamy cheese!
Prep Time:15 minutes mins
Cook Time:8 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
In TCM, we recommend eating cool or cold foods to help to cool off the body during the hot summer months. Foods that have cool or cold properties have the ability to clear heat, reduce toxins, and create body fluids, which is just what we need in the summer!
Some of our favorite cold and cool foods are water-filled fruits and vegetables, such as melons, celery, cucumbers, and lettuce. All can help your body stay in balance and combat the heat your body is taking in from the sun.
In this recipe specifically the lemon, basil, mint, leafy greens, celery, and radishes work together to help cool you down and leave you feeling refreshed!
INGREDIENTS
4-5 large stalks of celery
1 cup leafy greens of choice optional (arugula, red leaf lettuce, spring mix, etc.)
1 large green radish substitutes include red radishes, Japanese turnips, cucumber
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 large lemon for zest and juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil plus more to taste
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
4 ounces of mozzarella, burrata, or ricotta
INSTRUCTIONS
Thinly slice the celery at a sharp diagonal. Tear up the leafy greens, thinly slice the radish, chiffonade cut the basil and mint.
In a large bowl, grate in the garlic cloves, then grate in the zest from half the lemon, about a teaspoon. Add the juice from the lemon, the olive oil, the vinegar and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine then add in all the vegetables. Toss to coat, season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar, salt and pepper as you see fit.
In a small pan over medium heat, toast the poppy seeds for 4-5 minutes, or until they are noticeably nutty and fragrant. Add these into the salad and toss.
To serve, tear the mozzarella or burrata (or scoop the ricotta) on top of the salad, creating long creamy lines of cheese. Top with more lemon zest, black pepper and olive oil. Serve with crusty bread!
photo and recipe credits to Justine Snacks
