Saturday, April 17, 2010

Walnut, gorgonzola and cranberry salad made with lettuce from VP Farms in Caledonia


Spring is just around the corner! That means local farmers markets, roadside produce stands and greenhouses are going to start popping up all over the place. This is my favorite time of year!

One such place that opened a couple of weeks ago is VP Farms on 76th Street in Caledonia. Local home of the Vertical Garden Kit, VP Farms focuses on proving fresh fruits and vegetables as well as helping people grow their own using innovative methods of growing.

Since they also supply local restaurants with their produce, including The Green Well Gastro Pub and Bisto Bella Vita, picking up some fresh lettuce to make my favorite simple go-to salad from them is always a good bet.

Here's the recipe:

2 cups lettuce

1 tablespoon gorgonzola cheese

1 tablespoon cranberries

1-2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon raw walnuts

1 tablespoon olive oil (I use a sprayer and spray the top layer of the salad)

Mix together and enjoy! This is a very versatile salad, and you can pretty much throw anything in there that you want. I've added: avocado, grilled tilapia, dulse flakes, sugar peas, red pepper slices, chicken - the possibilties are endless.