AVOCADO SALAD WITH SESAME DRESSING

This salad is an open invitation to all spring vegetables. This version calls for just sugar snap and snow peas, but no need to stop there...As the saying goes- the more, the veggier!

INGREDIENTS

Sesame Dressing

¼ cup rice wine or white wine vinegar

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp honey

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

½ tsp sea salt

Avocado Salad

1 each avocado, diced

1 each lime, juiced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 pinch sea salt

2 cups sugar snap peas, cleaned and cut in half diagonally

1 cup snow peas, cleaned and cut in half diagonally

1 cup spring onion or scallion, sliced thinly

½ cup cilantro, chopped

½ cup basil or mint, chopped

to taste sea salt

METHOD

For the Sesame Dressing:

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the vinegar, tahini, and honey.

2. Stream in the extra virgin olive oil.

3. Add toasted sesame seeds and season with sea salt. Reserve.

For the Avocado Salad:

1. In a small mixing bowl, season the avocado dice with lime juice, olive oil, and sea salt. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Season with a generous pinch of sea salt.

3. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

4. Cook the sugar snap peas in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, and immediately submerge in the ice water.

5. After 3 minutes in the ice water, strain and lay out on paper towels to absorb any excess water.

6. Repeat the same process with the snow peas.

7. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar snap peas, snow peas, and sliced spring onion or scallion, and chopped herbs.

8. Add sesame dressing, and toss.

9. Gently fold in marinated avocado dice. Season with sea salt to taste. Serve with additional toasted sesame seeds on top.