Do your taste buds rule the roost? I started thinking about cilantro and cumin and sunflower seeds and had to put them together. The greens were especially good and what could be a better combination to wake things up?

So, somewhat by accident, I started chopping and mixing and out came this salad. Earthy and fresh, with lemon, lime and jicama to give it the finishing touch. Just what I was looking for, a change in scenery.

If you’re in need of a change in scenery and a new, easy salad recipe you have to give it a try. If you love cilantro, you’ll love this. Pair it with fish, spicy foods such as chili or thai or simply have it by itself.

What you need:

• 1 to 2 bunches or 6 to 12 ounces fresh greens
• handful cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 medium jicama, generously julienned
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• juice of 1 lime & lemon
• 1/8 cup roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds or pepita seeds
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano
• salt and pepper
• olive oil and white wine vinegar

What you do:

• Make my standby salad dressing. 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 olive oil with juice of 1/2 lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Shake together in a jar. Note* I used to measure each of these ingredients before mixing but now I simply eye-ball the proportions and it always turns out.
• Whisk together lime juice, cumin, coriander, chili powder and a dash or two of salad dressing in a small bowl. Add lemon juice to taste.
• Add the jicama to the mixture, stirring until it’s well coated. Set aside.
• Wash & chop greens and cilantro. I use whatever greens I have on hand but the heartier your greens the better. Pictured above is a mixture of Little Gems, arugula and baby red kale.
• Toss the greens and cilantro together in a large bowl with your dressing.
• Serve topped with the jicama mixture, cheese and seeds. If I’m serving with a larger meal, I toss all of the ingredients together when dressing the greens to keep it simple.
• Substitute ingredients, change proportions and have fun with it. This is a no-fuss salad with huge returns.