This fresh, crisp salad topped with a creamy kefir dressing is perfect for entertaining. The poppy seeds add a beautiful texture and colorful finish. If you cannot find favas, simply double up on peas. Use mâche or baby spinach if you cannot find pea shoots at your local grocery store. This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit’s Fava Bean and Pea Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, July 2014. We replaced the buttermilk with an equal amount of Green Valley Lactose-Free Plain Kefir. The fava beans and peas can both be prepared up to a day ahead, making this a nice and easy recipe.
Green ValleyIngredients
2 cups shelled fava beans (from about 2 lb. pods) or frozen fava beans, thawed
2 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 2 lb. pods) or frozen peas, thawed
⅓ cup Green Valley Lactose-Free Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. (or more) Green Valley Lactose-Free Plain Kefir
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 heads of Bibb lettuce, leaves separated (about 8 cups)
4 cups pea shoots (tendrils)
1 tsp. poppy seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional: red chili flakes
Instructions
- If using fresh fava beans, cook in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a sieve, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water. Drain well and peel; place in a medium bowl. (If using frozen fava beans, cook 2 minutes; do not peel.)
- Return water in saucepan to a boil; add peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; transfer to colander in ice water. Drain and add to bowl with fava beans. (If using frozen peas, cook 30 seconds.)
- Whisk sour cream, kefir, and lemon juice in a medium bowl, thinning with more kefir as needed, until pourable; season with salt and pepper. Arrange lettuce and pea shoots on a platter, top with fava beans and peas, drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Adapted from Bon Appetit’s Fava Bean and Pea Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, July 2014.
Organic Lowfat Kefir 
