Flower Garden Salad

This Flower Garden Salad is a celebration of spring produce – with edible flowers, fresh spring nectarines, peppery radishes, and a honey lemon vinaigrette.

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Today’s post is something a little different – not a structured recipe, but an organic meal that came about from what I had in my garden and my refrigerator. This recipe is meant to inspire rather than instruct. I’m not giving any specific measurements (except for the salad dressing), because I’m hoping you will have a similar spontaneous experience recreating this recipe in your own kitchen!

This spring has been really great (aggressive allergies notwithstanding!!) because I’ve been able to work in my own gardens and grow some of my own foods. I’ve always had such a deep connection to the earth, and it’s so inspiring to participate in the natural cycle of plant life. 

Part of this connection to the earth means eating foods that are local, sometimes to my own garden, but also available at the grocery store. My local Whole Foods is great about labeling where their produce is from, and I always try to support Connecticut or New England farmers. And when the farmer’s market opens in my town in June, I’m going to try to have all of the produce we eat come from that (supplemented by pasta, bread, and grains from the grocery store). I can’t wait!!

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Other garden-fresh spring recipes that I love include this asparagus lemon pasta and this Farmer’s Market salad!

Flower Garden Salad

Ingredients

• Edible Flowers – I recommend pansies for this recipe, they have a pleasant green taste. Don’t just use the flower petals, include the base of the flower and a little bit of the stem, which have a little bit of a wintergreen taste. Other flowers you could use include nasturtiums, chive blossoms, and zucchini blossoms. I would not recommend rose petals, as the flavor is too delicate for a salad like this. 
  

  NOTE: Only eat flowers that you are 100% sure are edible. If you are unsure if a flower is edible, do not eat it. Only source your flowers from gardens treated without pesticides.

• Arugula, Mixed Greens, or Spinach – to bring out the taste of the flowers more, use a neutral green like spinach or baby romaine. Arugula has a more assertive flavor, so use at your own risk! ;)
• Sliced Radishes
• Nectarine or Peach Slices
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Feta (optional, but recommended)

Small-Batch Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

• 2 Tbs Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbs Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 Tsp Honey
• 1/4 Tsp Salt (or more to taste)
• Pinch of Black Pepper

Feel free to double or triple this vinaigrette recipe if desired!

P.S.

If you make this Flower Garden Salad and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me @wellandfull and #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your takes on my recipes :)