As the son of an avid gardener, a most-of-the-time health nut and almost five year marketer of fresh produce, there are very few fruits and vegetables that I haven’t experienced firsthand. However, we recently had the pleasure of working with Bard Valley Natural Delights and I was introduced to the marvels that are Medjool Dates… and now I have a new fresh obsession.
Dave Anderson with Bard Valley Natural Delights has been generous with samples of Medjool dates and inspirations for ways to enjoy them. During one of Dave’s recent visits to Dallas, we took him to one of our go-to spots, Bolsa, near the Bishop Arts District. Our friends at Bolsa did not disappoint and to our surprise they featured an Arugula Date Salad on their menu.
It was love at first bite. After that salad, I kept dreaming about dates… Medjool dates that is. I knew I had to try to recreate it. After a couple attempts I am confident to share the recipe with you below. Include this show-stopping flavor sensation on your holiday menu for your guests to enjoy!
Arugula Date Salad:
Ingredients:
- 1 pound clamshell of Earthbound Farm Baby Arugula
- 6 Natural Delights Medjool Dates, pitted and diced
- 1 cup (or more!) Manchego cheese, shaved and sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- ¼ shallot, finely diced
- Two tablespoons Dijon mustard, such as Grey Poupon
- ½ cup California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- For the dressing, combine Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and shallot and whip with a whisk until mixed well.
- Salt and pepper the dressing to taste. Mustard, olive oil and lemon juice amounts can also be adjusted to taste.
- Combine baby arugula, diced Medjool dates and Manchego cheese in a large salad bowl.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to uniformly cover the salad.
Get more dates for your dollar this holiday season by downloading a $2 coupon on the Natural Delights website and you’ll be gushing too.
