Dill is an annual herb whose fragrant, delicate-tasting leaves, also known as dillweed, will enhance a variety of your favorite foods.
Yet dill brings as much to the landscape as it does to the palate. Its finely textured blue-green foliage grows on upright stalks of fountainous stems. In late spring, you may want to cut dill’s chartreuse flowers and use them in a flower arrangement ~ Southern Living
Yesterday I shared my recipe for Orange Dill Vinaigrette Dressing and today I will share a vibrant and delicious salad that I dressed with this flavorful vinaigrette.
Since my latest obsession is Mason Jar Salads, I layered the ingredients into four jars (quart sized) but also wanted to demonstrate that this would make a fantastic plated salad as well. The plated salad that I made was HUGE and my husband Mike devoured it for dinner. This recipe could easily make six jar salads.
Roasted Beet, Mango, and Blueberry Salad with Orange Dill Dressing
Ingredients:
- Orange Dill Dressing
- Savory Quinoa (Recipe to Follow)
- Roasted Beets (Instructions to follow)
- 1 green pepper
- Thinly sliced red onion (about 1/2 a medium onion)
- 2 ripe mango
- Pint of blueberries
- 1 cup of raw almonds (or nut of choice)
- 8 ounces of Sugar Snap Peas (I bought one package)
- Greens (I used romaine and spinach)
Savory Quinoa
- 2 cups of cooked quinoa (could substitute brown rice, bulgar, wheatberries)
- 1 cup of chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 1-2 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil (or cooking oil of your choice)
- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
- Few leaves of chopped fresh mint
- Fresh snipped chives
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparing beets can be a bit messy but in my opinion their sweet flavor and silky texture makes them worth the mess. I LOVE the combination of beets and dill so I knew this salad would be a taste pleaser.
The beets that I bought were large so I cut them into many pieces. I scrubbed them well and left the peelings on. If you have smaller beets you can cut in 1/2 or thirds. Once they are done roasting the peels will slide right off. I roasted these beets for 40 minutes at 450 degrees. I opened the oven after 20 minutes and gave them a toss. I let the beets cool before making the salad.
For the Mason Jar Salads I started with two Tablespoons of the Orange Dill dressing (though I found myself adding more dressing when I ate the salad so next time I will add three Tablespoons). I then added a layer of beets and green pepper.
Next a layer of the Savory Quinoa and a few pieces of red onion.
Next a layer of mango and a layer of blueberries.
I then filled the rest of the jar with chopped romaine and spinach.
The plated salad also contained all the above ingredients. While I really enjoyed the combination of the mango with the other flavors, I think that orange segments would also be a lovely addition.
If you are interested in other Mason Jar Salads, here are some of my previous recipes:
Israeli Feast ~ Mason Jar Salad (with Tabouli, Hummus, and Olives)
Classic Salad Bar in a Jar and Waldorf Inspired Slaw
If you are interested in pinning this salad and other recipes, here is a link to my Produce with Amy board.
I hope you enjoy my Orange Dill Vinaigrette Dressing along with this nutrient rich salad. Summer is salad season, and whether it is plated up or layered in a jar, it is a quick, cool, satisfying, and versatile meal. I promise to keep the salad dressing recipes coming. I think that my next dressing will take on a spicy flair and feature cilantro.
Keep filling your plate with a rainbow of fruit and vegetables and reap the benefits of a healthy life. Cheers to summer and thriving! ❤