Eating this salad offers a feeling reminiscent, straight-up, of Zirconia’s energy from Torus Link. This is a salad that starts out calm, slow, collected with the blueberries and rich black sesame paste… but then, all of a sudden, like a ZAP to your conscious, the acidic lime, lemon zest and oranges and peppy-meets-peppery yerba buena hits you like lightning!!!!! And then you feel a concentrated buzz— one that can equally be focused on a very singular, direct passion with all the excitement in you.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 granny smith apple
• 1/2 small orange, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh yerba buena leaves (can substitute with fresh mint leaves)
• 1 Tbsp raw ginger chunk, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• Juice from 1 lime (about 1-2 Tbsp)
• 2 tsp black sesame paste
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/4 tsp tarragon
• 2 cups lettuce leaf blend of your choice (**I chose a baby spinach and kale blend here)
• 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
• 1 lemon (for 1/4 tsp zest)

Special equipment: high speed blender or food processor, citrus zester

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Yields: 1 serving

Preparation:

1. Cut the granny smith apple into thin half-moon slices and cut the orange half into small quarters. Reserve.
2. Puree together the raw ginger chunk, blueberries, lime juice, black sesame paste, and dried dill weed. Reserve.
3. Plate the lettuce leaf blend in a large bowl or plate; arrange the yerba buena leaves on top and place the reserved apple slices in a concentric circle on the border of the plate. Place the reserved orange chunks in the center of the circle.
4. Pour the reserved puree over the fruit and lettuce, and sprinkle with the tarragon and hemp seeds. Zest about 1/4 tsp of lemon zest directly over the salad, and then enjoy the ELECTRIC focus once it hits, just like Zirconia’s!!

Yasmine’s notes:

Might I suggest you listen to this song while prepping this salad? It’s what I think of as just the epitome in tone of Zirconia’s blast of electric energy when she’s unleashing her passionate-focus.