Who doesn't love a good, hearty salad, especially in the hottest months of the year? Crispy lettuce, the crunch from a red radish and freshly picked ripened cherry tomatoes off of the vine can be eaten together without too much fuss—and especially when in season, all the salad needs is one squeeze of lemon, a sprig of cilantro or parsley and away you go!
That said, in my humble opinion I do believe even the simplest of salads deserves a good crunch. The texture is key and when you add in some spice, those simple lettuce leaves go to the next level!
As we've been part of a community garden this summer, this salad topper was inspired when we went picking. With so much kale, lettuce, fresh herbs and tomatoes, the salads are coming all summer long! To change it up, I created an easy Madras Curry Spiced Salad Topper which you can also keep on hand for even the simplest of your salads. I soon realized a 'good' salad quickly turns 'great' with this salad topper sprinkled on top as a garnish!
I combine pumpkin seeds with hemp seeds for the bulk, add in sliced almonds (they make for a stunning salad garnish) and cranberries for some tartness. These are tossed with coconut oil, maple syrup and spiced with Arvinda's Madras Curry Powder. A touch of grey sea salt for a garnish just finishes it off.
For those of you who are familiar with Arvinda's Curry Powder, you will find our newest version Arvinda's Madras Curry Powder, is slightly hotter with a peppery heat. It works so well in this salad topper because when combined with the sweetness of the pure maple syrup, the flavour becomes spicy-sweetness to every bite!
I loved the first batch so much, I decided to scale it up to a triple batch the next time. Purchase the seeds and nuts in bulk, making this economical and delicious to keep on hand.
Although this recipe is designed to be a salad topper, I find myself noshing on it as a trail mix, so I hope you enjoy it that way too! And I hope it's a helpful way to keep the greens coming! :)
Sending you much gratitude and joy!
