Change is in the air!!! We added to our plant family here at the studio (50 and counting!), christened the new outdoor seating area for a recent monthly team meeting, and made a new commitment to cook more for our work lunches instead of always ordering in — added bonus? The delicious recipes that we make can get shared here on the blog. Today it’s our citrus-y salads lunch.
Our lunch included two salads made up of a variety of colorful fruits, leafy greens, sweet potato, nuts and healthy fats. The star of the show was a couple of hybrid blood orange-grapefruits aka (Valentine grapefruits, yes they really are called that) from JJ’s Lone Daughter, that when cut open had color that made us swoon – and tasty too!
Here are the recipes:
Citrus Date Salad
2 Valentine Grapefruits
4 cups mesclun greens
2 cups radicchio
1 fennel bulb with fronds
½ cup chopped pistachio
6 quick olive oil poached dates (see below)
1 Pinkerton Avocado
Juice of a Pink Lemon
¼ cup Mint
Pink Salt
Zest and supreme grapefruits.
Save zest and juice.
Chop fennel bulb.
Slice avocado.
Combine ingredients and serve salad.
Makes 2-3 servings.
Quick Olive Oil Poached Dates
6 dates
¼ c olive oil
1 inch cinnamon stick
Halve and seed dates – place in small jar.
Warm olive oil and pour over dates.
Add cinnamon stick and set aside to cool.
Leave in oil for at least 4 hours.
Strain dates
Reserve olive oil for salad dressing.
Date Dressing
¼ cup date infused olive oil*
¼ cup Valentine grapefruit juice
1 tsp zest
Combine, shake and serve with salad.
Sweet Sweet Potato and Rainbow Chard Salad
1 really large sweet potato (equivalent of 4 cups chopped)
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 bunch of carrots
1 young onion (if not available or shallot and green onion if not available)
1 tbs Valentine grapefruit zest
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp ginger
2 tbs sweetener (honey, agave nectar, etc.)
½ cup crushed pecans
olive oil
Pinch of salt.
Preheat oven to 425
Chop sweet potatoes, chard (stems included), carrots and onion.
If serving warm, set aside the green part of the onion, chard and pecans. Otherwise set aside the carrots as well for a nice crunch.
Combine remaining ingredients and heat in oven on a baking sheet for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes can be forked.
When ready to serve, add chard, green onions, pecans and carrot (if not already added).
Serve with Valentine dressing on the side.
Makes 2-3 servings.
For more ideas, check out our eBay Guide 9 Clever + Fun Ways to Use Citrus Around Your Home .
Thanks for the yummy recipes! Justina, are you wearing African wax print fabric? Where is your beautiful dress from?
Yes I am! Thank you! I’ve had this dress for a very long time — I originally bought it at a thrift store in Italy! Go figure, right? Thank you for your kind words!
Looks awesome and I definitely want to try… #jungaloweats
Can you tell us which stores you got the uncommon ingredients like {mesclun greens,radicchio, 1 fennel bulb with fronds} from?
Thanks.
-D
Wait…what!?!? All of those ingredients are available at my local grocery and I live in Arkansas! What I would have trouble finding is the Valentine grapefruit.
Yummy! This looks so delicious! I love the recipe!
This looks amazing! Are those also edible flowers in one of the salads?
Yum- I’m ready to eat this salad again!
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Looks very delicious!
great
great.
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Wow, these updates sound fantastic! 🌿 Congratulations on expanding your plant family to 50 – your studio must be a lush paradise now. The new outdoor seating area for team meetings is such a brilliant idea; it must create a refreshing and inspiring environment for everyone. I love that you’re committing to cooking more for work lunches instead of ordering in – homemade meals always feel more personal and satisfying.
The citrus-y salads sound absolutely delicious and vibrant, especially with those Valentine grapefruits from JJ’s Lone Daughter. The mix of colorful fruits, leafy greens, sweet potato, nuts, and healthy fats makes for a perfect balance of flavors and nutrition. I can only imagine how stunning they must look with those beautiful grapefruit hues. I’m definitely inspired to try making these salads for my next lunch – they seem both tasty and visually appealing. Thank you for sharing your journey and these amazing recipes on the blog. Keep up the great work, and I can’t wait to see what you create next! 🍊🥗✨