My favorite part about late Spring is that it opens the floodgates to long awaited Farmer’s Market produce that rivals any big box store. Fresh, colorful, juicy, and sometimes straight up ugly produce lines the markets and I just want to buy ALL of it. For me, the uglier the produce the better! Usually the uglier produce has a more pronounced flavor to it which is why it attracts critters in the first place.

Anyway, this salad is a culmination of literally all of my favorite flavors into one gigantic bowl. Between the grated beets and carrots, to the sorrel that basically tastes like a sour candy, to the hearty shredded kale and fresh mint…all topped with a wildflower honey mustard dressing…this salad is my version of heaven (especially when it’s been getting up to 90 degrees here in Portland and I don’t have air conditioning…goodbye oven!) 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Half a large head of sorrel (about 1.5 cups) – chopped
• Half a large head of kale – finely chopped 
• 1 carrot – grated
• 1/2 a medium beet – grated
• 1 pear – chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint – chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion- chopped

For the Honey Mustard Dressing: 

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup raw local honey (great for spring allergies!)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
• salt and pepper to taste 

To make the salad: 

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and top with honey mustard dressing and a squeeze of lemon. Fresh sprouts are also a really nice addition, and are abundant at the markets this time of year. Enjoy! 

Note: If you can’t find sorrel, arugula would also work nicely here.