A simple bed of spring baby greens holds sugar snap peas, sliced scallions, tender asparagus, tangy marinated artichoke hearts, and snappy radishes. A drizzle of garlicky avocado ranch and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds completes the scene.
Yield: 2as a main dish, 4 as a side
Ingredients
Salad:
1small bunch asparaguswashed and cut into 2-inch sections (about 1/2 cup chopped)
4cupsspring baby greenswell-dried
3 - 4small radishessliced
1/2cupsugar snap peascut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 - 5green onionssliced
1 5.5ouncejar artichoke heartsdrained
Sunflower seeds
Dressing:
1avocadoabout 1 cup chopped
2teaspoonsfresh lemon juice
1/2cupGreek yogurtI use 2% for this dressing, but whole-milk Greek yogurt or sour cream would work too
1/3cupmilk
1small garlic clovefinely minced
1tablespoonminced chopped scallions
1/4cupminced fresh chives
1/4cupminced fresh parsley
1/4teaspoondried thymeor 1/2 teaspoon fresh
1/2teaspoonsalt + more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Couple dashes of Tabasco sauceoptional
Instructions
Make the dressing. In a food processor, whir the avocado and lemon juice until smooth. Add the Greek yogurt, milk, and garlic and puree until completely blended. Add additional milk if you prefer a smoother dressing. Move mixture from food processor to a small bowl. Stir in the scallions, chives, parsley, thyme, salt, black pepper, and Tabasco if using. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you like. Set aside.
Bring a medium saucepan half-full of water to a boil. Add asparagus pieces and cook for two minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a medium-size bowl with cold water and ice. Lift asparagus out of the water and immediately plunge into the cold water. This helps keep the asparagus from cooking any longer and keeps that nice, bright green color. Lay asparagus on paper towels to drain any excess water.
Place spring greens into a medium salad bowl. Top with asparagus, radishes, sugar snap peas, green onions, and artichoke hearts. Drizzle with ranch dressing and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serve.