This post is a quick post about a Confetti Salad. If you are wondering what in the world is a Confetti Salad, well honestly I don’t know either, I just made that name up. Actual name of this salad should have been “clean out my fridge salad,” but that did not sound very appetizing, so Confetti Salad was born!
For this recipe, I used all of the ingredients that were already present in my fridge. I needed to use some of the produce before it went bad and unfortunately would need to be tossed. I looked at my refrigerators produce section like a an artists palate. I had couple of oranges, yellow bell peppers left over along with few carrots and baby spinach. What got me really excited was when I saw a pomegranate hiding in the back which I totally forgot about and I don’t know about you but I love poms in salads. Kalamata olives and feta cheese are staples always present in my fridge. I was particularly excited about finding a half full carton of baby heirloom tomatoes, red, yellow & purple ones.
Last but not least I felt as if I hit the jackpot when I found a bag full of Spanish Marcona Almonds which I did not even know that I had bought a while ago. I have a habit of refrigerating my nuts (he he) only because the nuts seem to go bad quickly. Marcona almonds, the “Queen of Almonds,” are imported from Spain. They are shorter, rounder, softer, and sweeter than the California variety. These Marcona almonds are roasted in olive oil and then sprinkled with sea salt, offering a delicious taste.
Fresh citrus gave a jolt of energy to roasted peppers, baby heirloom tomatoes, spinach and carrots while enhancing there natural sweetness. Pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and kalamata olives gave a tang to the salad and Marcona Almonds gave the salad a crunchy nutty taste. I dressed the salad very simply with sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar is the real secret here, bringing out the floral notes of the fruit.
Try raiding your refrigerator once in a while, it can be a tasty adventure!
RECIPE FOR ROASTED PEPPERS & CARROTS WITH ORANGE & MARCONA ALMOND
recipe inspired by whole living magazine
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 small orange bell peppers, halved and seeded
5 small carrots, peeled & halved
2 oranges, peeled & pith removed, sliced
6-8 baby tomatoes, halved
5-6 kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
handful of baby spinach
1/4 cup marcona almonds
2 tablespoon good extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
course sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat oven 425 degrees.
- On a baking sheet drizzle olive oil on the bell peppers and carrots, season with course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let the peppers and carrots cool, room temperature
- Place bell peppers, carrots, orange slices, baby spinach and baby tomatoes on a platter.
- Top with crumble feta, pom seeds, kalamata olives and marcona almonds.
- Whisk olive oil and sherry vinegar, salt & pepper together.
- Drizzle over the salad.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
I often clean out my fridge to make a “salad mess/beast”, a combo salad.
Love the colors, textures and flexibility in this recipe. Gorgeous photos!
BTW, thanks for visiting my blog Sara
Thanks Kiran!
How beautiful are these warm spring summer shades! Love the salad placed on blue! No more pomegranates here:( I can imagine this to be my lunch every day. I love Feta too and always have it in the fridge, but I am the only one who will eat Feta at home.
Thank you Soma Dear! I’m the only one who will feta in my family too..more for us!
too pretty for words!!
thanks Allison!
This salad looks magical!
thank you Jennifer!
A perfect name for a really lovely salad. I’d fill my fridge to make this one!
thank you for visiting Maureen!
What a gorgeous array of ingredients you have on this salad. It doesn’t matter if you raided your ref…that’s what we all do anyway.I love roasting veggies. Thanks for this idea. Must try this soon.
This looks as gourmet as it gets! (and it was a result of cleaning out your fridge? that’s a heavenly fridge!!). I actually cleaned out mine today and made a salad, since I had avacado, it turned out to me more Mexican influenced.
Oh and I do love pomegranate in salad as well as sprinkled over grilled vegetables. Thank God you are back!!
That is one stunning “clean out your fridge” salad!! I wish mine were so beautiful
Thank you for visiting Winnie, Lani & Elizabeth!
I adore the flavor of Marcona almonds, they are one of my favorites and I can imagine how wonderful hey would taste one this salad.
thank u Sylvie, I love those marcona almonds too!
love this salad and the name is cool
Such magic! What a lovely salad!
Love simple salad with citrus. This looks so colorful and refreshing!
Thank you Rebecca, Brian & Kankana!
The colors are stunning, and I really like how they contrast with the dishes and napkins.
What a fabulous salad! So colorful and delightful.
Cheers,
Rosa
Simple, refreshing and healthy..yes this has to be on my platter..making it!
Thank you Sanjeeta & Rosa! xx
One of my most anticipated projects is cleaning out the fridge and the pantry, or trying to figure out what I can make out of the treasure hiding in those drawers and shelves.
I love the colors and the flavor combination of your salad (and the name is adorable:)
I roast peppers every week, and Feta and olives are staples in my fridge, too. We are eating much less meat this year and kids don’t seem to mind. Lovely creations like your salad will make my job much easier:)
What a colorful fridge you had. As always your photos make me drool. This fall we are supposed to go to Spain and I can’t wait to try the “queen” of almonds, I’ve never had them.
Oh, look at the colours on that plate!! (and on that note, look at the gorgeous PLATE!). Love everything about this salad – makes me as happy as a sunny day!
Love the vivid summer color of this salad. The food styling is also wonderful, with the contrasting blue plate and textural elements in the back.
So impressive…if this is what you make when you clean out your fridge? You’d be scared to see what I whip up on a good day.
Love your beautiful photos Sara…on and off Facebook!