Golden Ratio Salad Delight (Printer version)

A vibrant mix of greens, fruits, nuts, and tangy dressing arranged with precision and flair.

# What You'll Need:

→ Greens

01 - 4 cups mixed baby greens (arugula, spinach, watercress)

→ Vegetables & Fruits

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
06 - ½ cup pomegranate seeds

→ Cheese & Nuts

07 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
08 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon honey
12 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Arrange mixed baby greens on a large serving platter, creating a base that subtly spirals or forms a sweeping curve inspired by the Golden Ratio.
02 - Place cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, and pomegranate seeds along the spiral, starting with larger elements at about 61.8% along the platter's main axis and tapering outward.
03 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts over the arrangement, concentrating slightly near the focal point for visual emphasis.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
05 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad just before serving to maintain aesthetic appeal.
06 - Serve immediately, preserving the delicate arrangement for a striking presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that takes less time than most appetizers and requires zero cooking skills.
  • The color contrast alone makes ordinary dinners feel like an occasion.
  • Once you understand the spiral pattern, you can improvise with whatever's fresh in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't add the dressing until the very last moment—moisture is the enemy of crispness and clean visual lines.
  • The avocado will brown within an hour once sliced, so this isn't a make-ahead dish; it thrives on urgency.
  • A platter with a slight rim helps contain the arrangement and keeps everything from sliding during serving.
03 -
  • A mandoline slicer isn't essential but transforms cucumber and bell pepper into uniform ribbons that look infinitely more polished than knife work.
  • Toast your pine nuts right before assembly so they're still warm and fragrant when they hit the plate.
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