Radish and Spring Pea Salad
This bright spring pea salad pops with flavor, and is slyly packed with superb nutrition.
Thinly sliced radish in salad of arugula provides a spicy base. I chose to incorporate an “ancient” grain called Farro. With a velvety texture and a satisfying chew, farro along with the peas round out a complete protein profile.
(Remember, the more variety of plant foods that you eat, the more diverse your gut microbiota will be, which is a very good thing!)
Why Choose a Spring Salad?
Spring is a great time to enjoy fresh, colorful vegetables that are bursting with nutrients and flavor. This is the time to create a delicious and healthy salad that’s easy to prepare.
So why choose a spring salad? It's simple – the flavors are unmatched, and with so many different ingredients to choose from, you can create a unique and delicious salad that's tailored to your personal taste.
Don't let the spring season pass you by without embracing some of the fresh and flavorful bounty this season has to offer with a nutritious salad.
Types of Peas
There are 3 basic types of peas: English peas, Snow peas, and Sugar snap peas.
They go by different names, so don’t be confused, but the main difference is the pea pods.
Snow peas, or Chinese peas, have thin flat pods and Sugar Snap peas have a thick, succulent pod. Both of these types are eaten pod and all, though sugar snaps are generally served raw and snow peas generally served cooked.
English peas, often called Spring peas or Shell peas, have inedible pods and are removed from their pod to be eaten in their familiar individual round form, either fresh or cooked.
The Spring peas I used came frozen, so I blanched them for one minute in boiling water before plunging them into an ice bath, making them taste fresh and crisp. If you are using fresh peas, you just need to give them a light rinse.
How to Use Radish in a Salad
Radishes are crisp, peppery vegetables that add texture and flavor to a salad, as well as a pop of color.
Some tips on how to use radishes in your spring salad include:
- Slice it thinly: Radish can be quite pungent, so slicing it thinly can help to mellow out the flavor and make it more approachable.
- Pair it with sweet vegetables: Radish pairs well with sweet vegetables like peas or carrots, which can balance out its sharpness.
- Use it as a garnish: If you're not a fan of radish on its own, try using it as a garnish on top of your salad. It adds a pop of color and texture without overwhelming the other flavors.
Can you make Spring Pea Salad ahead of time?
If you’d like to make radish and spring pea salad the day before, keep the sliced radishes in water so they stay crisp, and incorporate with the dressing just before serving.
If you are prepping a jar salad, put the dressing at the bottom along with several grinds of pepper, then layer the radish and peas, then grains, and finally the greens on top.
Mint Vinaigrette
A homemade vinaigrette is a great way to add flavor to your spring salad. This mint vinaigrette recipe is easy to make and adds a refreshing burst of flavor:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Directions:
Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a serving bowl. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Bringing it all together
The spiciness of the arugula and radish salad balances the nutty flavor of the farro with the pop of sweetness from the peas, and the whole thing is finished with a bright homemade salad dressing using fresh lemon juice and mint, finished with a few grinds of black pepper.
I hope this gives you some inspiration about how to get more peas in your menu, or a new flavor to try out!
FAQ:
Can I use frozen peas in the spring peas salad recipe?
Yes, you can use frozen peas if fresh ones are not available.
Do you have to blanch the peas?
Blanching the peas helps to bring out their bright green color and tenderizes them slightly. While it's not strictly necessary, blanching them will bring out the best texture and flavor.
Can I add cheese to the spring pea salad recipe?
Yes, you can use any type of crumbly cheese you like, such as feta or goat cheese.
Can I make the mint vinaigrette ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the vinaigrette up to a week ahead of time and store it in the fridge.
Can I use other vegetables in the spring salad with peas and radish?
Yes, feel free to use any vegetables you like in this salad. Asparagus, green beans, artichokes, bell peppers, or cherry tomatoes would all be delicious additions.
If you are using hand size portions to plate your meal, be sure to track a serving of vegetables for every fist-sized portion, and for cheese a serving of fat for every thumb sized portion you add to your salad.
Mealtime conversation starters
Developing meaningful relationships is a core value of Balanced Healthstyles. You allow others to understand you better. Sometimes it can be tough to know what to talk about, so we made it easy for you.
Here is a question that may stir up some unexpected memories. Enjoy your salad and your conversation as you walk down memory lane.
What is the most important lesson you learned from your father?
Radish and Spring Pea Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 cup English Peas fresh
- 4 radish sliced thinly
- 2 cup arugula
- ½ cup farro cooked and cooled
- fresh ground black pepper finish, to taste
dressing
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a serving bowl, and allow the flavors to meld while you prep the vegetables.
- Rinse the greens and spin dry.
- Carefully slice the radishes about 1/16" thin with a mandoline.
- Add the arugula, peas, and farro in the bowl with dressing, and toss to coat.
- Spread radish slices over top of salad and serve with a few grinds of black pepper, to taste.
Notes
Hand Size Portions
Hand Portions
Some handy advice: You can use your hands to practice calorie control without weighing and measuring.
Using hand position size is an alternative way to decide how much to eat visually. It gives you a way to quickly estimate what's on your plate, using protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fat. It's an alternative to counting macros which generally has you weighing and reading nutrition labels to count protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
To learn more, read How to Get Started with Hand Portion Sizes.
Heather Lynn Darby helps office and tech professionals disrupt the cycle of chronic stress that undermines their health, and to recover from the negative effects of sitting at a computer all day. Find other articles written by Heather on her coach profile.
If you are largely sedentary at work and rely on your intellectual acumen for success, her take on body-mind interventions will help you find a balance between being "in the zone" and getting the amount of movement that will optimize your mental productivity and prevent health problems.
We got watermelon radishes from the produce box this week and they make this salad even more beautiful!
This was really easy to make! I never knew that radishes were so approachable when sliced thin like this. I’ll definitely be putting this into my salad rotation!