I’m often asked where I get inspiration for recipes. The answer is anywhere and everywhere. It may be something I see at the market, a color that inspires me, a smell, a taste, something I read. This time it was these snapdragons.
I was at the market on a cold, rainy, dreary day and these snapdragons caught my eye. They were so unlike what was happening outside. They immediately made me perk up. I grabbed a bunch and I swear I felt lighter on my feet. If the radiant color of these flowers could turn my blahhhhh mood around, what if I ate something that looked like them? Would it be uplifting as well?
It’s hard to find produce quite as colorful as these snapdragons, but I thought something deep magenta should do. Plums. Super sweet cherries. A soft, ripe peach. And I’d need something chartreuse as well. Kiwi perhaps? Then the baby green grapes caught my eye. They were so translucent they virtually glowed in the light – could almost see right through them.
Then I came across these gooseberries (Inca berries, actually, the South American cousin to the European gooseberry), all snug and trying to hide in their paper balloon wrappings. Too cute. Made me smile even bigger. Yeah, they’re going in as well.
So that’s how this recipe evolved. I wasn’t even planning on cooking for the blog that day, but once inspiration kicked in, I just decided to go with the flow. And yes, eating this beautiful salad made me feel as happy on the inside as looking at those gorgeous flowers made me feel on the outside.
Ingredients (serves 6)
1 cup green seedless grapes (cut in half)
1 cup sweet cherries (cut in half and pits removed)
2 small ripe plums (diced)
1 large peach (diced)
2 kiwi fruits (diced)
1 pint gooseberries (outer skins removed, washed and cut in half)
mint leaves for garnish
Dressing Ingredients
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves
Directions
1. Place the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until mint is completely chopped. Chill in the refrigerator.
2. Chop all fruit and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. Place fruit in a serving dish or divide equally on salad plates/bowls.
4. Drizzle chilled dressing over fruit, garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.
cheri says
Hi Amy, beautiful salad…love all the different colors. Wondering what a goose-berry taste like, they sure are pretty.
cheri recently posted…Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Nasturtiums as Garnish
Amy says
Hi Cheri! A gooseberry kind of has the texture of a kiwi, and the flavor is a cross between a grape and a cherry. Very sweet and delicious!
Sam @ Pancakewarriors says
I’ve never had gooseberries before. This sounds like a beautiful summer fruit salad though.
Sam @ Pancakewarriors recently posted…Blueberry Smoothie
Amy says
Gooseberries are hard to come by, so keep an eye out for them at the market.Thanks for stopping by, Sam!