Sweet, juicy oranges and crisp, spicy radishes are paired together in this bright Orange and Radish Salad with Mint. It’s simple but unique, fresh and so delicious!
How do you guys feel about talking to strangers? I don’t mean the man in the white windowless van, handing out lollipops. But you know, normal people you run into on the bus, at the checkout line, in the dentist’s waiting room.
I’m not a fan. Maybe it’s being from the Northeast, or maybe it’s being a bit of an introvert. I just don’t get the point of small talk. And to be honest, I don’t really care to know the details of someone I’ll never see again’s terrible day. I’m not a jerk, I just don’t really feel the need to bother people, unless they actually want to be friends or something!
Living in the South was rough. Everyone wants to talk to you. It takes a million years to do any errand and people apparently think you’ve got nothing better to do than sit and chat aimlessly. I get it. It’s nice. People are friendly. But I gots things to do, people!
Anyways, the other morning I rolled up to Panera, baby-free and laptop in hand, ready to tackle some much-neglected blog work. There was a guy sitting a few seats down from my usual corner table, but there was a whole table in between, so I sat down there anyways and popped open my computer. I instantly regretted this decision, as the (somewhat creepy looking) man says, So you like to hide in corners, too?
Yes, so, leave me alone, freak. I get to typing.
And then he goes on and on, for fifteen minutes, about the weirdest, most random things. Like, how he bought shoes at Marshall’s and they had a prop 65 warning on them (California’s “everything causes cancer” warning) and how, if he was going to chew on shoes they’d at least be high heels. WHAT!? He had this whole conversation with me while I tried my hardest to ignore him, looking at my computer and type-type-typing, uttering a few random “uh-huh’s” out of politeness and also a little fear that he might start stalking me if I wasn’t nice. At one point he even said, Why am I even telling you all this? To which I looked at him and replied, I really don’t know. And he kept going!
People, for the love of God. If someone is alone in Panera (Starbucks, anywhere with wifi) with a computer and/or papers and pen, KICK ROCKS! They are there for a reason and that reason is not a leisurely chat with a rando creepy stranger!
But hey, at least it gave me a fun story to share with y’all, right?
So let’s move on… to citrus. Citrus season is upon us and here in California the trees are bursting with juicy fruits! A friend gave me a lifetime supply of oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, meyer lemons and sweet limes (which are the color of a lemon, the shape of a lime, and taste like lemon drop candies!). My garden is also busting with produce– radishes, cauliflower, turnips, kale and rainbow chard. And my mint plant, with all the rain we’ve had this winter, is out of control.
I had a salad similar to this years ago and I can’t remember where, but my abundance of oranges, radishes and mint sparked my memory. I think the original version had red onions, but I’m a wuss these days and can’t do raw onion unless they’re of the green variety.
This salad is simply seasoned, just a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The orange juice does the rest. Don’t skip the salt– it’s vital for really bringing out all the fresh flavors in this mix. This is the perfect way to use up your winter produce!
- 2 oranges
- 1 bunch radishes, greens removed
- 2 green onions
- 5-6 fresh mint leaves, torn
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Segment the oranges: Cut off the top and bottom of the orange, then carefully cut the skin and pith away with a sharp knife. Cut each slice of orange out from between the membranes.
- Thinly slice the radishes and green onions.
- In a small bowl, toss oranges, radishes, onions and mint with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit 10 minutes to an hour to marinate, then serve.
Enjoy! And don’t forget– Don’t talk to strangers!
This looks lovely! Do you ever soak red onion in cold water for a few minutes before using them raw? They TOTALLY mellow out with just a subtle onion flavor but maintain the crunch. Best of luck to avoid any future drawn out stranger convos! I hear ya, I’m not into them either.
Hilarious! I don’t know what I would have done in that situation. I don’t care for stranger small talk either. Unless I’m at the playground and hoping to maybe make a new friend.