The week in recipes: Salad edition

Spring has sprung, and this month's Eat Local Challenge has brought out the best in emerging ingredients across the blogosphere -- largely in the form of salads. And despite my recent rant on salad architecture, I am deeply intrigued by some of the offerings out there. Here's what made my tummy grumble this week:

Spinach salad with cinnamon vinaigrette [28 Cooks]
I'm not a huge spinach salad fan, but the cinnamon dressing piques my interest. Plus, the picture!

Napa cabbage and grape slaw [Accidental Hedonist]
In the list of alternative forms of salad, I forgot slaw, one of my favorites. This one actually adheres pretty closely to the salad equation I expounded. Might make this for the in-laws in Kentucky for Mother's Day picnic...

Artichoke panzanella [Becks & Posh]
If this is in fact zee best ting Sam eveur deed, how could it be anything less than incredible? It sounds downright perfect to me. (P.S. -- Happy two-year anniversary, B&P!)

Panzanella di farro [Lucullian delights]
Yup, another panzanella. But this one comes from my new favorite food blog, written (and photographed) by a Dane in Pistoia, Tuscany. Makes me want to jump on a plane for Italy RIGHT NOW.

Beet-orange-walnut salad [Mental Masala]
Light, simple, refreshing. Although I do think of this as a better combination of winter-y ingredients, this could be made pretty much any time of year.

[Off topic: Do be sure to read Jeffrey Steingarten's delightful essay, "Salad: The Silent Killer" in his first anthology, "The Man Who Ate Everything." You'll never look at salad the same way again.]

And some non-salad items:
Omelette sandwich with pecorino [2 Tasty Ladies]
Hey, you need a sandwich to go with that salad, right? The very notion of omelette or frittata on a sandwich sends me right back to Spain, where it was a regular snack of ours on the road. Plus, after the very successful Salad of Pain, I'll cook anything the ladies tell me to.

Bean and cheese pupusas [Albion Cooks]
I just love pupusas, and these sound both delicious and not thigh-greasingly fatty. I'm on it.

Vegan haggis [bunnyfoot]
Not a contradiction in terms! I have been both re-interested in vegetarian and vegan fare of late, and a longtime fan of haggis. How great to bring those things together.

Fried zucchini blossoms [Milk & Honey]
Cheaper than airfare to Rome, and almost as tempting!

Lamb stew with almonds and apricots [Simply Recipes]
Mmm ... hardy, sweet-savory and slightly exotic.

Bisteeya (B'stilla) [The Traveler's Lunchbox]
One of my all-time favorite dishes. I do want to make it, but heck, I can go to Aziza anytime!