Asian Plum Salad with Crispy Shallots & Spicy Ginger Dressing

Always looking for a way to work seasonal produce into an exciting salad. Yes, I said salads can be exciting. Here are some of my favorite summer picks that you can still find lingering into early fall.

Rainbow chard is part of the beetroot family, tasting like a cross between spinach & beet. It’s packed full of nutrients like vitamins A & K, and anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Not to mention, it’s effing gorgeous! The stems come in beautiful yellows, orange, pink, and reds. It’s a sturdier green so letting the dressing sit on it for a bit beforehand is key to make it into a delicious salad when served raw.

These plums are like absolute candy. Yellow, purple, and red. Full of antioxidants & a good source of fiber, to boot. The more colors in your diet the better! Each color brings a different nutrition profile. That’s the benefit of shopping at a farmers market - you can try different varieties & have fun experimenting with flavors.

The plums offset the bitter tones of the chard & the cucumbers cool you down from the heat of the ginger dressing. Topped with oven crisped shallots to bring some aromatic crunch to the party.

The recipe:

Finely chop the shallots & place on a sheet pan lightly coated with avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt & bake at 400 until crispy (about 10 min).

For the dressing: Mix 1 tsp ground ginger, a pinch of pumpkin spice, 1 tbsp or so of garlic coconut aminos (I like Coconut Secret brand), 1/2 c orange juice, and the juice of half a lime. You can serve as is or simmer in a saucepan for about 10 minutes until it thickens a bit. Let cool & pour over the chard. Let sit for 30 min if possible to let flavors meld.

Plate the chard, layer the cucumber & plums over top. Season lightly with s+p. Top with the shallots