I love fresh herbs in dressings and salads. Basil, parsley, dill, chives, oregano, mint, thyme, chervil and cilantro are easy to grow and bring salads to the next level. I just planted a few in my back yard and in some pots by the door closest to the kitchen. It's a life (and wallet) saver. You will have salads that are fresh and tasty throughout the spring and summer. For those of you up north, please wait until the last frost has passed, we are still getting usually cool weather here in CA. I recommend getting these in the ground or containers:
BASIL: great for making homemade pesto, chopping into dressings like green goddess, and fab for pasta salads.
PARSLEY: key for making chimichurri or whip up a batch of tabbouleh if it starts to go crazy, or it’s gorgeous just chopped in with greens.
DILL: Perfect with lemon in summer potato salad, ranch dressing, or salads with asparagus or grilled salmon.
MINT: My favorite with watermelon citrus and Middle Eastern salads. Warning: plant it in a pot or it will take over the yard.
CILANTRO: It grows fast! Perfect for Southwest or Asian salads. I love it in a jicama salad.
OREGANO: Great for Mexican or Italian dressings and roasted vegetables.
And while you are in the garden, plant a few colorful edible flowers, you’d be surprised how many are easy to grow and safe to eat. I like nasturtiums and pansies. You need just a few to add a pop of color and make it fancy, they always brighten up my day too.
Time to do some Spring cleaning and inventory in the refrigerator and pantry. Get rid and use up (if they are still good) those half-filled bottles of condiments that have been sitting there for way too long. Try to make sure your pantry has all the basics ready for spring and summer salads. Get some ice cube trays and freeze leftover chipotle in adobo sauce or anchovies once you open them. Here's a link to shop for some of my favorite pantry items and a Pantry Basics post link if you missed it. 🥗🧪💕
