Cameron Diaz’s Summer Crunch Salad

We had to substitute the snow peas for edamame beans but it turned out lovely! the "vinaigrette" is much closer to a mayonnaise in texture and the whole thing kinda tasted like a deconstructed summer roll. A fair amount of prep work and some expensive ingredients, but kinda worth the effort and cost!

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

• ¼ cup cashews, toasted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari
• 1 teaspoon sriracha or another hot sauce of your choice
• 1 clove fresh garlic, grated or finely minced
• 1 chili of your choice (optional; we like Fresno chilis without the seeds)
• ½ cup sunflower or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

FOR THE SALAD:

• 4 cups salad greens of your choice (we like romaine and Little Gem lettuce blends)
• 1 cup julienned or thinly sliced snow peas
• 1 cup julienned or thinly sliced carrots
• ½ cup cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch half-moon slices
• ½ mango, peeled and julienned or thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, cut in half and sliced
• ½ cup mixed fresh herbs (we like a blend of mint, cilantro, and basil)
• ¼ cup cashews, toasted and roughly chopped
• ½ cup puffed rice
• 2 wedges fresh lime

METHOD:

1. To make the vinaigrette, place everything in a blender except the sunflower and toasted sesame oils. Blend on high until fully blended and smooth. With the blender still running, slowly stream in the oils to emulsify the dressing. Set aside until ready to use. You can make the dressing in advance and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

2. Layer the salad in a bowl. Start with your salad greens on the bottom, then add in the vegetables, mango, and avocado.

3. Garnish with the herbs on top.

4. When you’re ready to serve, toss the dressing with the salad and top with the cashews and puffed rice. Serve with a wedge of lime on the side.