freckles & ash

This is my absolute favourite salad, and I have been eating it a lot over the past few weeks. And it's perfect for an easy Easter lunch, to save room for the the dinner you will likely eat later today. Plus, it's pink!

Crunchy Salad:

1 Bulb of Fennel

1 Gala Apple

1 Beet

Juice of Half a Lemon

Olive Oil

Blue Cheese to Taste

Cut the tops off the fennel, slice in half, and cut out the core. Thinly slice the fennel as thinly as you can with a knife, and place in a large bowl. Core the apple, cut into slices and cut into julienne strips. I like to leave the skin on the apple, as it adds to the colour of the salad, but you can peel it if you would like. Take the top off the beet, peel, slice thinly and cut into julienne strips. Add the apple and beet strips to the fennel. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the salad, with a drizzle of olive oil. You don't want to add a lot of liquid, as it is really only intended as a light seasoning, and to help stop everything from browning. Crumble the blue cheese and add half to the salad. Toss to mix the salad. The tossing process helps to break up the blue cheese and distribute it through the salad, so you get the flavour throughout. Serve and top with the remaining blue cheese. Makes about 4 servings.

Note: So you don't like blue cheese? You can just add it at the end, or omit it entirely. The salad is still great without it. Also, this salad is great with lightly toasted walnuts added.