The minute I spied these bright little pesticide-free Chilean Lemon Plums, with their vibrant canary yellow skin and blushing scarlet pointed tails, ta-da! Immediate salad inspiration! The perfect way for us chilled Minnesotans to break up the mid-winter below-zero blues is to make a delicious salad chock full of color, vitamin A, vitamin C and all of the rich antioxidant filled plums, greens, blueberries and walnuts!

I have been craving my Blueberry Basil Dressing lately, so in using some of my winter pantry goods, I opt to add some dried blueberries and crunchy raw walnuts. For a bit of complimentry color and texture I added some crispy hot pink slices of rose heart radishes from the River Market, creamy white ribbons of a delicious Special Edition Aged Goat Cheese from our marketing partner Sartori Cheese, a drizzle of Salad Girl Blueberry Basil dressing and: voila!  Bye Bye Winter Blues and Hello Sunshiny Flavor! 

A little more great info on the lovely Chilean Lemon Plums from Bristol Farms Foods:

Lemon Plums from Chile

by John Savidan, Director of Produce Merchandising Bristol Farms Foods

Lemon Plums are a very hard item to get and are available only from Chile for a few weeks out of the year, and Bristol Farms’ produce department is one of the very few to offer this extraordinary product – arriving in our stores today!

The lemon plum resembles lemons in color and shape, and is a hybrid of citrus and plum. When the fruit changes from a yellow color to a blush red, it’s fully ripe and ready to eat. If you enjoy a plum more on the crisp and slightly acidic side, you can enjoy them while they are still yellow. Lemon plums are very juicy and have a mild, sweet flavor when fully mature. They are a great addition to green and fruit salads, as well as smoothies.

 

nutrition

• Like most other fruits and vegetables, lemon plums have a significant level of dietary fiber, contributing to one’s digestive health.

 

• Rich in vitamin C, lemon plums act as an antioxidant, boosting white blood cell counts, preventing the activity of free radicals, and also playing a significant role in the creation of new cells, wound healing, and various other metabolic processes.

 

• Lemon plums also contain high quantities of Vitamin A, which can help improve vision, reduce the occurrence of macular degeneration, improve the quality of skin, and help to prevent premature aging.

 

• As a low-calorie, high-nutrient, fiber-rich fruit, lemon plums can help people trying to watch their weight by providing necessary nutrients without packing on excess pounds. The fiber creates a feeling of fullness, reducing the chances of overeating.

- See more at: http://www.bristolfarms.com/blog/2015/02/lemon-plums-from-chile/#sthash.XV5e5Y94.dpuf