Springtime Salad

Spring is here. The days are starting to get longer. Little buds of this and that are popping up everywhere. What a beautiful time to appreciate life.


And what delicious food. This salad is simple, quick, and light. It is perfect for a spring evening or appetizer.

I started with a mix of spring greens dressed in olive oil and lemon juice. You can vary the amounts of each to get the taste you want. You can also add some ground mustard to the dressing if you want it to have a stronger flavor. This simple dressing goes great with spring greens, spinach, or arugula.

I topped my greens off with diced bell peppers, onions, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and some baked beets. To make the beets: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the beets and trim off the greens and pointy ends. Place the beets on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Cover with a light coat of olive oil and wrap the foil over them so they are covered. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beets are soft, but not slimy. Allow them to cool before using on the salad. Beans and walnuts also go well on this salad. I garnished it with a few fresh herbs and some lemon zest.