Seasonal Recipe: Spring

Quinoa salad with greens, fennel, and lemon on a white plate.

Springtime:

The elements fully present during springtime are water + earth, affecting Kapha dosha in big ways. Depending where you live, springtime can feel damp, cool, heavy, and muddy! Balancing these qualities asks us to think warm and bright thoughts - and foods!

Enjoy this recipe below to help clear out seasonal heaviness and increase lightness and satiety.

Arugula and Fennel Salad with a Lemony Vinegarette

Peppery arugula and crisp shaved fennel come together with warm, yummy quinoa for a perfectly balanced bite. Tossed in a bright lemony vinaigrette, this salad is light, refreshing, and gently satisfying. And, it includes all six tastes of Ayurveda for a truly sattvic meal.

For the salad:

One 5 oz. package of baby arugula greens

One small-to-medium fennel bulb

1/3 cup of crushed pistachios

1/4 cup tri-color quinoa (dry)

For the dressing:

1/3 cup of light olive oil

2 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 Tablespoons raw honey

1 Teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation and Serving:

Cook the quinoa to package directions. While that is simmering, shave the fennel with a mandolin or if by hand, thin slices. Combine the sliced fennel in a serving bowl with the arugula and set aside.

Chop/crush the pistachio kernels by hand, or place in a spice grinder for a few pulses. Set aside.

In a shaker bottle or mason jar with lid, mix the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste, and give it a good shake.

When the quinoa is cooked, add it to the arugula and fennel. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Sprinkle the pistachios over the salad and serve.

Tips:

This salad is perfect on its own but is also amazing under grilled chicken or steak! Play with the vinegarette measurements if you like more mustard or less honey. You can't go wrong!