This spring we’re facing a very stressful time. Keeping this in mind, I have created a simple and nutritious salad recipe. This recipe provides a ‘comfort’ food feeling by boosting physical energy. I simply tossed radishes with labneh, walnuts, and chickpeas with my spicy tangy salad dressing.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup walnuts
• 5-6 small radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon labneh
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ cup loosely packed dill fronds, stems removed, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian dressing
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons, honey (1 tablespoon for roasting walnuts, and 1 tablespoon for salad dressing)
• 1 tablespoon roasted combination of spice powder (1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon raw coriander, and 2 teaspoons red chili flakes; combine and roast on low flame, then grind into a powdered form)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon for salad dressing and one tablespoon for roasting walnuts)
• Sea salt according to taste

Method:

For preparing salad dressing:

In a medium size bowl, add the lime juice, honey, Italian dressing, thyme, extra-virgin olive oil, and sea salt. Whisk together to make the salad dressing. Set aside.

In a serving platter, lay the radishes, cucumbers, chickpeas, baby spinach, dill. Set aside.

In a pan, heat the oil on medium heat and add walnuts. Roast on low heat for about 1-2 minutes, add the roasted combination powder, and rapidly stir. Quickly add honey, and mix very well allowing the walnuts to be glazed by honey, then turn off heat. This whole process should take no longer than 2 minutes.

To assemble the salad, transfer the walnuts mixture into the prepared salad platter. Just before serving, dress lightly with salad dressing. Toss well to combine. Add labneh and toss gently to combine without mixing labneh too much. Season with sea salt.