Get ready to experience a side of asparagus that you may never have before – raw! Asparagus spears are weapons of good health, loaded with fiber, vitamins, trace minerals, and powerful aging and disease fighting properties. This freshly crisp salad is not only a unique eating experience, but it’s also a unique culinary experience – it embraces the peeler, a quick, safe alternative for those who don’t like chopping. With beautiful asparagus ribbons, this green salad boasts the perfect combination of raw, healthy, beautiful ingredients, and makes the perfect side dish to any meal.
Ingredients
Salad
• Fresh, mixed greens (arugula, baby lettuce, and mixed herbs)
• Bunch of fresh asparagus, tips removed
• 1 cucumber
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 chopped chili (optional)
• ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
• Fresh shaved Parmesan
Dressing
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• 3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Fresh lemon zest
• 2 tsp organic honey
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Start off by combining your ingredients for the dressing in a large salad bowl. Make sure to zest a bit of your lemon first before cutting into it for the juice. Whisk everything together until the dressing has a nice, creamy consistency.
Thinly slice the onion and let it soak in the dressing, which will begin a quick pickling process. Put a pan on medium heat to toast the slivered almonds, stirring until they’re golden brown. Keep an eye on them, because they can burn quickly!
In the meantime, start peeling your asparagus into ribbons by beginning at the top and working your way down. Once you reach the core, you can slice the ends lengthwise and get rid of what’s left. Remove the tips and save them for a different use.
You can either slice the cucumber into thin coins, or if you’re using smaller ones you can peel those into ribbons as well. Chop up the chili (optional) and combine everything in the salad bowl.
Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top, and if you like you can also shave some fresh parmesan onto the salad to add a sharp punch of flavor.
