spring salad.

It's not technically spring yet but today could have fooled anybody. And we set our clocks back tonight so the extra sunlight will also be deceiving. 65 and sunny meant I had to go back to the farmer's market. I thought I would continue to go all winter but once our CSA basket was up, my good intentions left with it.
I woke up fairly early today and headed down to Franklin. It wasn't that crowded and it's a lot smaller than in the summer time but being back made me very happy. I put our deposit down on our CSA so we are officially signed up! We are sharing it this year with some friends so I'm rooting for my yard to supplement the smaller weekly veggie flow from our CSA basket.
I really, really love my CSA farmer and I highly recommend them. Yes, it's quite the trek down to Franklin every week but it's WELL worth it. They are a family of four that does it all together and their love of local food and farming is so sincere...their newsletters alone are worth it. Please check them out if you are shopping around for a CSA share - Beaverdam Creek Farms. If you already have a preferred CSA, then stop by their booth and check out their produce. It always looks great - and sells out quick! - and today was no exception. From them today, I purchased a bag of Red Cardinal Spinach, mixed lettuce and Purple Top Turnips, with the greens attached. I have big plans for the turnips tomorrow night in a Spring Turnip Frittata from April 2011 Eating Well Magazine that I want to pair with rice and steamed spinach.
I actually stumbled upon the frittata recipe while making a salad dressing from a different article in the same magazine tonight. Mark wasn't that hungry and I wasn't either, considering I got so excited to shop/plant that I forgot to eat anything until after 2:30. I washed the mixed greens from the farmer's market and put slivered almonds, hard boiled egg, red kidney beans, goat cheese, cheddar cheese, white onion with the Creamy Curry salad dressing from Eating Well (recipe below) on top - SO DELICIOUS! Maybe it's because we haven't had farmers' fresh salad for a loooonnnggg time but this tasted so great to us tonight.
I haven't purchased premade salad dressing from the grocery store in over four years and I think I may have become a little routine in what I mix together for our usual salads. I've lost a bit of creativity with the "throw a salad together" routine so this Creamy Curry dressing tasted even more fresh and fantastic to us - and it has no garlic?!? Who would have guessed it?

Creamy Curry Dressing - April 2011 Eating Well Magazine:
Puree in a blender (or Magic Bullet!!!) until smooth: 1/2 cup each nonfat yogurt and mayonnaise (I used more yogurt than mayo but to each his/her own), 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.