Summer is almost here and that means its a great time to enjoy fresh salads! One of my favorite salads lately is one that incorporates sweet and savory notes. I recently made this Mandarin Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing and love how colorful it is to present on the table and the flavors it includes. Juicy, sweet mandarin oranges pop with color and flavor in a bed of spring greens, dressed with a ginger soy dressing...



This is a salad that can be made either as an accompaniment to a meal or served as an entree. As a side, it's wonderful with teriyaki kabobs during the summer or grilled meats in general. As an entree, you can even add chicken, beef or shrimp to made it more complete. But the star of the recipe is definitely the dressing. The combination of fresh ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce and a touch of honey is a wonderful balance of flavors perfect for the season!


Salad:
4 cups spring greens
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup sliced seedless cucumber
1 cup mandarin orange segments, drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup fried wonton strips

Combine all the salad ingredients above in a large bowl and toss. Drizzle dressing (recipe follows) over the top or serve on the side.


Dressing:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup water

In a pint or quart sized mason jar, add all the ingredients.

Tightly cover with jar lid and shake well to combine,

Remove lid and heat har in the microwave for 1 minute to warm and dissolve the honey.

Cool and shake well before serving.