Spring Salad

I love using fresh produce when they are in season. This weekend, I went to the local market and couldn’t believe how gorgeous all the green vegetables looked! I grabbed a bundle of green beans, snap peas and asparagus and headed home to create this recipe! Simple, bright, and delicious, it’s the perfect way to showcase the season’s best produce.

Ingredients

• ½ pound green beans trimmed and halved crosswise
• ½ pound sugar snap peas trimmed and de-stringed
• 1 pound asparagus trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Pinch of salt

Dressing

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Scout and Cellar Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1 fennel bulb quartered, cored and very thinly sliced
• ¼ cup shelled roasted sunflower seeds
• Shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. Add the green beans, sugar snap peas, and asparagus to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, then immediately plunge the vegetables into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain and shake off as much excess water as possible.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.  

Add the drained vegetables and the fennel and toss to coat well with the dressing. 

Sprinkle the sunflower seeds and parmesan cheese over the top and serve.

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Green Bean Bacon Bundles

As much as I love steamed or stir-fried veggies, there is just something about roasted vegetables. The caramelization adds so much flavor! These green bean bacon bundles are no exception. They’re absolutely delicious and easy to make.  

Tender crisp green beans wrapped in bacon and tossed in brown sugar glaze, it doesn’t get much better than that! These are easy enough for a weeknight meal and make a fun side dish to a barbeque with friends and family!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ¼ lbs green beans 
• 6 slices bacon cut in half, do not use thick cut bacon
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the bacon on a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven.

Trim the ends of the green beans. 

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Place the green beans in the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender. 

Drain and put the green beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Pat the green beans dry. 

In a small bowl whisk together the garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, butter, brown sugar and pepper. 

Pour the butter mixture over the green beans and toss to coat.

Wrap 6-8 green beans with a piece of bacon.  

Place the green bean bundles on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy. 

Serve.