Snappy Green Salad: beyond leafy greens

My Snappy Green Salad: beyond leafy greens was perfect for our Summer Kick-Off, Chesapeake Bay Adventure. The old-fashioned fun of board and yard games made me nostalgic for all things Summer, and the Snappy Green Salad fit the theme perfectly by requiring a little bean snapping. Both bean snapping and corn husking are romantically nostalgic tasks from my childhood that take me to July in Wisconsin- long summer nights- watching the diamonds on the water, and helping mom make dinner. This time, I was in charge, and I got to hand off the corn-husking and bean snapping to my trusty sous-chefs. They were reclined in their Adirondack chairs and sipping Racer 5, so they didn’t mind a lick. Just like I never did as a child. And if no one was watching, I tended to eat the inevitably extra ear of corn raw, sweet as it was in the summertime. I noticed my sous-chefs keeping the tradition alive by enjoying raw green beans when they thought no one was the wiser. Aside from the nostalgic tasks associated with my Snappy Green Salad: beyond leafy greens I can vouch for its simple deliciousness. I love salads to have lots of stuff in them- even if it’s all green. In fact, I have many many versions of what I call “verdant” salads, where all the ingredients are green, just like this Snappy Green Salad. It’s a common misperception that the best salads need be loaded down with fruit and cheese and nuts and sugar.  While a spoon full of sugar is an easy way to help those averse to eat their veggies, for me, all it takes is lots of crunch and textural contrast and the Snappy Green Salad delivers above and beyond on texture too.

Print Recipe

Snappy Green Salad: Beyond Leafy Greens

This seasonal salad of spinach, green beans, peas, and asparagus uses a simple lemon vinaigrette and lots of texture and crunch to make this salad special.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Author: Barrett Bridenhagen

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 cups fresh peas frozen works too
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves
• 4 cups fresh green beans loose
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar optional

Instructions

• Break the stalks of asparagus as low as possible, while still getting a clean and easy snap. Does that make sense? I don’t know how else to describe it. Basically, I grab the stalk at two points close to the base and try to break it. If it snaps easily, that’s the right height. If it’s pliable and bends, move your snap point further up the stalk.
• Then cut them into bite-size pieces.
• Snap the stems off the beans and break them into bite-size pieces.
• Rinse the spinach leaves and dry.
• In a large salad bowl, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar if desired. Then add the spinach leaves.
• Bring a pot of salty water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for one minute. Using a slotted spoon set on the spinach leaves.
• Next blanch the green beans. One minute should do the trick. Remove to the salad bowl.
• Now blanch the peas. It’s best to do these last- since you’re finished with the water, you can use a colander to drain rather than fishing all the peas out with a spoon.
• Toss well so dressing coats everything. This clean simple salad is great with our Chesapeake Crab Boil and it make for great leftovers too!