Oregon raspberry and Marionberry salad

Oregon raspberry and Marionberry salad

• 7.07.2015

Summer is my favorite! In part because of berry-picking, and the bounty of local veggies and fruits around us. I go berry-picking every summer, and nowadays those berries are some of the only fruits I eat all year. Which makes them even more special!

I'm so grateful to live in a place like Oregon, with so many foods that grow here and all the people that appreciate fresh, local, quality food. I recently got an email from the Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission, an official organization representing the farmers and growers of Oregon’s bounty of berries. They're working with bloggers to inspire new recipes for these delicious summer crops! (See some great recipes from local bloggers here.)

So after we went berry-picking the other weekend, I came up with this tasty, real food, local food-based salad using raspberries and Marionberries! Salads are great in the summer if you can find or grow fresh lettuce in the heat, and aside from the homemade dressing, all of the ingredients for this salad can be found at your farmers' market, CSA box, nearby farm, or store selling local products!

Marionberries are a variety of blackberry created at Oregon State University in the 1940's. Most people from out of state haven't heard of them. They taste a little sweeter and less tangy than blackberries, but you could easily substitute blackberries in this recipe if you can't find them! 

I don't usually eat dairy, but goat cheese is easier for me to handle and the flavors are SO good with the sweetness of the berries, tartness of the dressing, and crunch of the nuts. Leave it out for a dairy-free, pure Paleo salad, or add it in for a primal/personalized Paleo dish.

Oregon raspberry and Marionberry salad

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 2 oz. olive oil
• 1 oz. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• sprinkle pepper

Salad:

• 1 small head lettuce (or mixed greens, whichever you prefer)
• 1 c. Marionberries (or blackberries if you don't have Marion)
• 3/4 c. raspberries
• 1/3 c. crushed hazelnuts
• 1/3 c. goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and blend with an emulsion blender or whisk.
2. Wash and spin lettuce.
3. In a large bowl, add dressing to lettuce and toss.
4. Add berries, crushed hazelnuts, and goat cheese in the large serving bowl or on individual plates.

Serve immediately! Serves 4-6.

Thanks to the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission for sponsoring this post by providing me a gift card for berry-shopping!