Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 cups asparagus, cut into 1- inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 4 tablespoons sliced almonds 4 cups arugula
- ¼ cup Feta cheese, optional
For the dressing:
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/3 cup regular or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper
Directions
- Blanch the asparagus: bring a pot of water to a boil. While the water is boiling, get a medium bowl of ice water ready. Drop the chopped asparagus into the boiling water for 30 seconds, or until it’s bright green but still crunchy. Remove from boiling water and transfer to the bowl of ice water to quickly stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus is cooled, lay it to dry on a towel.
- Toast the sesame seeds and almond slices in a small skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned. Watch closely so they don’t burn! Set aside.
- Make the dressing: in a glass jar with a lid, add the shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Shake until thoroughly mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Toss the arugula and asparagus in a bowl with a small amount the dressing (taste and decide how much or little you want to use; you will have dressing left over for another salad).
- Arrange the salad on a platter and top with the toasted almonds, sesame seeds and the cheese, if using.
Yield: 4 (1 1⁄2 cup) servings
Total Cost: $6.82
Cost per Serving: $1.71
Variations & Tips
You can use spinach instead of the arugula. Toasting nuts is a great way to bring out their flavor. You can also toast them on a cookie sheet at 350° F for 5-10 minutes. In place of the shallot, you can use minced white, yellow or red onion. You can even use green onions (also called scallions). Store the leftover salad dressing in a jar in the fridge. If you prefer, you can use white vinegar or any other flavored vinegar in place of white wine vinegar.
Source: LoveandLemons.com
Nutritional Info (per serving): 275 calories, 25 g fat, 4.4 g saturated fat, 5.5 g protein, 9.4 g carbohydrate, 3.2 g fiber, 330 mg sodium
Watch the sesame & almond asparagus salad cooking demo below and download the recipe to make it yourself.