March is a month full of many amazing acknowledgements! It’s national nutrition month which is a great reminder as spring creeps in and it’s time to get busy in the garden. We also celebrate Women’s History in March, making this Green Goddess Salad the perfect dish to tie these two together. Adding greens to your meal is an easy way to boost your nutrient intake. With the most recent holidays such as Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Mardi Gras, you may be seeking some spring cleaning in your diet! The dressing makes the dish, but there are also store-bought Green Goddess dressings that might cut down on prep time. Madison recommends Trader Joe’s Green Goddess dressing if you don’t have time to make your own! Go green this season with a Green Goddess Salad and add a little salty crunch with some homemade pita chips to pair it with.

Green Goddess Salad

Ingredients

• 1 head of green leaf lettuce, chopped (4–5 cups)
• 1 head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 handful of microgreens
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1 cup diced english cucumber
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 avocado, diced

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 cup parsley, packed
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/3 cup chopped chives
• 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon
• 2 Tbsp chopped dill
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Dressing Instructions

1. Put the herbs, spinach,lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic into a blender or food processor.
2. Process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the machine a couple of times, as necessary.
3. Add the mayo and process briefly to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Adjust any of the other ingredients at this time and process to blend in.

Put the dressing in an airtight container and refrigerate until needed. Will keep a minimum of one week refrigerated.

Salad Instructions

1. To a large bowl, add lettuce,cabbage,microgreens, green pepper, cucumber, red onion,avocado and sunflower/pumpkin seeds.
2. Drizzle with green goddess dressing. Toss with two spoons to coat everything and serve.
3. Can be eaten as is or topped with grilled chicken for added protein and eaten as a “dip” with pita chips. You can add or subtract and put your own twist on this recipe easily.

Homemade Pita Chips

• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 pita bread pockets

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix oil, garlic salt, chervil, basil, and pepper together in a small bowl.
3. Cut each pita bread into 8 triangles using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
4. Arrange some pita triangles in a single layer on each of the prepared baking sheets; brush with oil mixture. Not all will fit, so set the remaining triangles aside.
5. Bake on two racks of the preheated oven until lightly browned and crispy, about 7 minutes, switching halfway through.

Transfer pita chips to a serving platter and repeat Steps 4 to 5 with remaining triangles and oil mixture.