Papaya Salad

Ok, so this salad definitely isn't local, but it is delicious, nutritious and very filling! It is a perfect meal for a hot day when you need something to cool you off and transport you to an imaginary tropical paradise.

For the greens I used baby spinach and arugula (both of which are local and seasonal). Arugula's peppery taste is a perfect compliment to the citrusy-sweet thing going on between the salad dressing and the papaya. And you all know how I feel about spinach (see Spinach Pie Two Ways).

This recipe marks my first post with nuts, which is kind of odd beacuse I eat nuts everyday. The cashews add a lovely crunch to this mostly soft salad, but can be omitted if you suffer from nut allergies.

And I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Roll your limes before juicing them! You will get way more juice out of them this way, for real. Just roll them under you hand on the counter while applying gentle pressure. Then slice, juice and enjoy your hard earned lime juice!

Papaya Salad

Makes 4 servings

For Dressing:

Juice of two limes (about 4 tbsp)

1 tbsp coconut oil, at room temperature (so it's in liquid form)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

For Salad:

2 cups baby spinach

2 cups arugula

1 papaya, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 avocados, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup raw cashews

Lime slices or wedges for garnish (optional)

To make the dressing: Mix the lime juice and coconut oil in a small bowl, until well combined. Add a couple dashes of salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. A note on salad dressing: If you're new to making your own salad dressing, when you taste your salad dressing it should be slightly more acidic than you want it to be. The water in the greens and fruit will neutralize the acidity. 

To make the salad: Spin the spinach and arugula in a salad spinner, then transfer to a salad bowl. Top with the papaya, avocado and cashews and toss. Dress, toss and serve immediately. If you want the salad to look like it does in the picture: After spinning the greens, plate them on four plates and top each with a quarter of the papaya, then a quarter of the avocado, then sprinkle with a quarter of the cashews. Drizzle with a quarter of the dressing (about 1 1/4 tbsp for each serving) and top with a lime slice. Serve immediately after dressing.

Enjoy!

Veg Jenski xo