Watermelon Radish Salad

I just had to share this recipe because it is so fun to look at!  It all started this weekend, at the  Riverfront Farmer's Market in downtown Wilmington.  Sonny and I stopped to pick up some rutabaga (which we roasted and enjoyed with some fresh trout Sonny caught).  Sonny and I had never tried watermelon radishes before, so the friendly farmer at Red Beard Farms gave us some samples to try! 

I've had plenty of radishes, but never a watermelon radish- when you slice it open, it looks just like miniature watermelon slices. 

Since the veggie looks like summertime, I thought I would make a summer-inspired salad.  While much of the country is getting snow, Wilmington experienced another 70 degree day today!

I had some cucumber in the fridge (these gave a nice cool contrast to the spicy radishes) and some canned hearts of palm in the pantry.  Simply chop the vegetables to equal-sized bites...

...then finish with a tangy homemade dressing!  I like to use mason jars to make dressings in because you can just cap it and shake, and you already have a container to store the leftovers.  My dressing was a simple mix of whole grain mustard, honey, white balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. 

Toss the desired amount of dressing on your salad, add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste, and enjoy!

Watermelon Radish Salad
2 watermelon radish, quartered and thinly sliced
2 small Persian cucumber, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
1 can hearts of palm, chopped
1 Tb whole grain mustard
1 Tb honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice (preferably fresh-squeezed)
Freshly ground pepper
pinch of salt

1. Combine radish, cucumber and hearts of palm in a bowl. 
2. Combine mustard, honey, olive oil, vinegar, and orange juice in a small container with a lid.  Shake well.  Pour desired amount over salad and toss to combine.  Store any remaining dressing in a sealed container in the refrigerator.