Feeling Spring-y!

With all the green grass at Quince Cottage (our home in progress), and Bradford pears blooming like crazy in eastern North Carolina, not only does the calendar say it's Spring, it actually looks like Spring!

Bradford Pears © Rhiann Wynn-Nolet

We're still getting used to this concept because we're from Maine, where Spring is usually a bitterly disappointing combo of freak late-season snow storms and unrelenting mud, thanks to the sporadic melting of snow and thawing of the earth. In fact, Mainers joke that they have five seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Mud.

Anyway, all that gorgeous green and sunshine made us feel like making something green and healthy. We turned to Pinterest and found Perfect Potluck Salad from subeeskitchen(dot)com. Colorful and easy.

Corn & Edemame Salad © Rhiann Wynn-Nolet

RECIPE:
Ingredients

1 8 oz. package frozen shelled edamame (soybeans)
3 Cups frozen corn (approx. 12 oz.)
1/2 C sweetened dried cranberries
1 C pecan pieces
1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 C chopped scallions (light and dark green parts only)
1/2 C toasted sesame oil (we didn't have this, so we used extra virgin olive oil)
3 TBS rice vinegar (didn't have this either, so we used apple cider vinegar)
1 C cooked pearled farro (guess what? yep, didn't have that at the store, so we used a microwave packet multi-grain mixture that contained pearled barley, bulgar wheat, brown rice and some other grains)
1 tsp ground sea salt
2-3 tsp honey (or to taste, this is more than the original recipe calls for)
Juice of a fresh lime (to taste, this wasn't in the original recipe either but it gave a nice brightness)

This recipe serves 4 as a main course or 10-12 as a side. We served it with some faux-chicken patties. It's meant to be served chilled, but room temperature is fine too.

Directions
1. Sauté corn in a skillet until it begins to caramelize (this isn't done in the original recipe, but we think it would enhance the flavors and plan to do this next time).
2. Combine sautéed corn with all remaining ingredients except pecans, oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and lime.
3. Toast pecans in skillet until crunchy and nicely flavored. Stir into salad mixture.
4. Whisk together oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and lime juice until emulsified. Pour into salad and stir to coat. Serve and enjoy!