Snap Pea and Steak Salad with Green Goddess Yogurt Dressing
Plus Caramelized Dates Over Ice Cream with Olive Oil...my new obsession.
Colorful chefs - happy Thursday 💚
Snap Pea and Steak Salad with Green Goddess Yogurt Dressing: I made this for my parents earlier this week in Minneapolis, and they said they had no notes, so it’s ready for you guys!
Caramelized Dates Over Ice Cream with Olive Oil: I’ve seen this combo floating around and I’ve now made it multiple times. It’s worth the hype. It’s also the perfect dessert when you're short on time—whether hosting or heading to a friend's. Details on how to assemble are below and up for free on my website here.
Snap Pea and Steak Salad with Green Goddess Yogurt Dressing: I’ve been creating tons of recipes centered around snap peas lately because they’re in season at the moment and feel especially refreshing and satisfying to me! Go get your hands on some!
Anyways, I love the combination of ingredients in this simple spring salad—the peppery arugula pairs perfectly with juicy steak, crisp snap peas, creamy avocado, and the tang of pickled shallots. The green goddess dressing brings it all together with a herby richness that feels indulgent yet still light and fresh and spring-y.
I think this salad is excellent with flank steak, but you can use whatever protein you have—salmon, chicken, even soft boiled eggs. I get my steak from Force of Nature because it’s regenerative, grass-fed, and grass-finished (plus the best price for the quality I’ve found), but I’ll splurge on a farmers market cut sometimes also when I want to treat myself! The steak cooking method outlined in the recipe is tried and true and I learned it from the Food Lab book by J. Kenji López-Alt. I will say if you have access to a grill, flank steak is just so much easier to do on the grill. I did set the fire alarm off when making this steak at my parents house…but the steak was perfectly charred!!
Snap peas are peaking right now in spring, so this is the perfect moment to make it. It’s quick enough for a weeknight dinner but pretty and elevated enough to have when hosting friends. You’ll then also want to make your friends this ice cream with caramelized dates…
RECIPE HERE
Caramelized Dates Over Ice Cream with Olive Oil and Flaky Sea Salt:
I’ve seen this combo floating around—on my Instagram feed, in the New York Times, and of course from Italians who’ve long known that a drizzle of olive oil over ice cream is delightful!!
I’ve made this numerous times in the last few months - it’s the perfect dessert when you are short on time but want to bring someone to a friend’s house, or when you are entertaining and want to do dessert but don’t have time to bake something. All you need is a pint of high quality ice cream, a few dates, olive oil, and maldon or flaky salt. Less than 10 minutes and one skillet later, you’ve got something that feels thoughtful and a little fancy, without any major effort.
Use whatever ice cream you like—dairy-free options work too—but I recommend organic brands with minimal ingredients such as:
Straus (minimal ingredients, organic)
Alec’s (regenerative and uses A2 dairy, which many find easier to digest)
Ice Cream for Bears (also regenerative, and sweetened only with raw honey)
I made this and brought over to my friend Izzy’s house last weekend, and made it for my parents! In Minneapolis, I was stoked to see Alec’s in the grocery store, but if you have a Sprouts near you I implor you to try out Ice Cream For Bears. It’s amazing.
The dates in this dessert bring natural sweetness along with a little fiber and minerals. It’s obviously still a little treat - so I usually enjoy this after a balanced colorful meal of fat, fiber, and protein to help keep my blood sugar stable!
I didn’t expect olive oil on ice cream to be a permanent habit but I think it will be…let me know what you think!!
Yields: 1 serving (but easy to scale to how ever many servings you need)
Total time: 10 minutes
TOOLS
INGREDIENTS
1/2 tbsp grass-fed butter, or 2 tsp olive oil (for caramelizing)
1 tsp of the nicest olive oil you have on hand, for topping
2 medjool dates, pitted and torn or chopped into 3-4 pieces - I like Joolies dates, and also I sincerely love the date man at my local farmers market…
1 scoop vanilla ice cream (or dairy-free coconut ice cream!)
HOW TO DO IT
In a small skillet, heat the butter or olive oil and date pieces over medium heat. Once sizzling, about 2-3 minutes, turn off the heat.
Scoop the ice cream into a bowl, then scrape the dates and all of the oil on top.
Add another dash of olive oil (about 1 or 1/2 tsp) and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
EAT RIGHT AWAY!!
SWAPS & TIPS
Ice cream: Try hazelnut, coffee, or strawberry ice cream for more flavor complexity. Coconut-based or cashew-based dairy-free ice creams also work great here!
Date swaps: Try any soft dried fruit like figs or apricots. Just chop and warm briefly to bring out the richness.
Butter vs. olive oil: Butter gives the dates a caramelized edge, olive oil leans more savory. You can also do half and half.
Add crunch: Toasted almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios add texture and pair beautifully with the olive oil and dates!
Spice it up: Try a pinch of cinnamon or flaky chili (like Aleppo) over the top!
Salt matters: Use flaky sea salt (like maldon). Regular table salt won’t give you the same pop. Flaky salt is one of the greatest things I have in my kitchen hands down.
Make-ahead tip: You can caramelize the dates a few hours ahead—just rewarm gently before serving.
Scaling for a crowd: Double or triple the date + oil mixture in a larger skillet and serve family-style over a few scoops per person.
If you make these recipes (or ANY of my recipes!), I’d love nothing more than to hear how it turned out and any feedback you have! Comment below or on the recipe in the Color Club, and if you are on IG share it and tag me @sonjakmanning.
Lastly, if you heart or re-stack this post or share it with a friend, you’ll help me and these colorful recipes reach more people! Thank you!! 🙏🏼
Chefs kisses,
Sonja
I could make some tacos out of that! Yumm!!