Just because a tea party features salads instead of desserts does not mean that it has to be boringly healthy. Now is the time to break away from simple green salads topped with a few token tomato wedges and embrace seasonal fruits, unique greens, and sprightly salad dressings that make any vegetable sing.
Tea Party Salads
There are so many options for tea party salads, from our hearty and warming Winter Wild Rice and Lentil Salad to a lighter Pasta Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing. If you’re stuck in winter but dreaming of spring, a Strawberry Blueberry Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette may be just the thing to lift your spirits, while this Arugula Salad with Candied Pecans will banish even the darkest winter blues with its sweet nuttiness.
Orange Feta Salad with Fresh Mint
This is one of my favorite salads that is not only visually delightful but also brings familiar flavors together in an unfamiliar -- but thoroughly delicious -- way.
Sweet oranges are the stars of this salad, and it’s important to take the time to segment them so there are no tough membranes to cut through or get caught in your guests' teeth. It may sound finicky, but it’s actually quite simple, and well worth the extra few minutes it takes. Simply slice the top and bottom off of each orange so they sit well on your cutting board, then slice the peels off, making sure no white pith is left behind. Then slice carefully beside each membrane, removing glistening slivers of orange that can be arranged like flower petals on each plate.
Simply sprinkle with Feta cheese and fresh mint leaves, drizzle with a raspberry vinaigrette, and your salad is ready to serve -- perhaps with a mug of Peach Bellini herbal tea and a Peach Cardamom Scone still warm from the oven.
Orange Feta Salad with Fresh Mint
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 oranges
- 1/4 cup Feta cheese cubed or grated
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Directions:
In small bowl, whisk together raspberry vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
Cut slices off the top and bottom of each orange so they sit firmly on cutting board. Cut peel off so no pith is seen. Slice carefully beside each membrane to create skinless orange segments. Arrange half the segments from each orange onto a plate.
Sprinkle with Feta cheese and fresh mint leaves, then drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.
Tomato Hummus Salad
Salads do not need to be complicated to be delicious. This recipe is simplicity itself yet absolutely scrumptious.
Choose big, ripe beefsteak tomatoes for this one, and slice them thickly before arranging three slices on each plate. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper, top with a generous spoonful of hummus, then drizzle with a garlicky vinaigrette for a salad that is both light yet satisfying.
It would go well with Broccoli Cheddar Scones and cup of Hello Sunshine turmeric-maple herbal tea.
Tomato Hummus Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 large ripe tomatoes
- 1-2 cups hummus
Directions:
In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
Cut tomatoes into thick slices and arrange 3 per plate.
Top each tomato slice with a tablespoon of hummus. Drizzle with salad dressing and serve immediately.
Caesar Salad with Sorrel
I’m a huge fan of Caesar salad made with Romaine, but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up a bit by choosing lemony sorrel leaves. I like the red-ribbed sorrel with their deep green leaves and rich red veins that look so beautiful even when dressed. Simply toss them with your favorite Caesar dressing, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper, and you’ve got a salad that is well on its way to being a meal, especially when paired with Sweet Potato Scones slathered with butter.
Caesar Salad with Sorrel
Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch sorrel leaves, washed and dried
- 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup Caesar salad dressing
- 1/4 freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Tear sorrel leaves into bite-size pieces and place in mixing bowl.
Toss liberally with Caesar salad dressing and divide between individual plates or bowls.
Top with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.
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