Spinach, Fennel, and Pear Salad

This fall salad is sweet and flavorful.

Fennel is one of my favorite fall vegetables (even though we also grow it for summer harvest sometimes, too.)  It’s sweet and lightly flavorful, and is great added to any stir fry, sliced thin into salads, and even just eaten sliced with a little salt, olive oil, and lemon juice — my kids’ favorite “salad.”  Adding pears sweetens things even more, and fall spinach brings a brightness to the salad.  This rendition is simple and great base, but feel free to mix it up and add your favorite salad ingredients!

Spinach, Fennel, and Pear Salad

Makes one side salad for 2-4 people

INGREDIENTS

• 5.5 oz. Spinach (1 bag) Sub other greens as needed — lettuce, arugula, pea shoots, etc. 
• 1 Fennel Bulb, root end trimmed off.
• 2 pears (any kind will do!), cut into thin wedges or pieces.
• 1 small shallot, onion, or leek, sliced thin
• 1 clove of garlic, minced (use more to taste)
• OPTIONAL Small handful of chopped nuts/seeds of choice (candied walnuts, roasted cashews, etc.)
• OPTIONAL 1/4 cup feta, goat, or blue cheese, crumbled
• OPTIONAL thinly sliced radish, salad turnips, or cooked and cooled beets
• 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
• Sea Salt, to taste (start with 1/4 teaspoon)
• Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt to medium – large sized salad bowl.  Mix well with whisk or fork.
2. Prepare fennel by laying the bulb on your cutting board sideways and making thin slices.  The results are thin half moons that look similar to chopped celery.  If the fronds are attached and fresh, chop all the way up the stem and include your fronds.
3. Add fennel, shallot, garlic, and optional radish, beets, or turnips to oil and vinegar and toss.
4. Add in greens, pears, and optional nuts and cheese and toss.
5. Serve and enjoy!

NOTES:

Feel free to add anything else in that you’d like!  This recipe is meant as a guide — substitute as needed!

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