Name: Sweet and Spicy Fig Arugula Salad
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 Serving
Ingredients: 3 Figs (quartered); 1 Handful Yellow Cherry Tomatoes (halved or quartered); 1 Handful Arugula; 1 Tbsp pine nuts; Small Chunks Fresh Chevre Goat Cheese ((Optional)); 1 Sprinkling Toasted Sesame Seeds ((Optional)); 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar; 1 sprinkling sea salt; 2 dashes dried oregano; 1 sprinkling garlic powder; 2 dashes white pepper ((Optional))

Seasonal salads are probably one of the best things you can eat and this is one of my absolute favorites – fig arugula salad!

In late summer and into the early fall, you can discover this entire world of flavor that’s also incredibly healthy. Yellow cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor (but certainly less acid). Peppery arugula that hates the heat of summer.

Yellow cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor (but certainly less acid).

Kelly green peppery arugula that hates the heat of summer.

And of course, those delicious, sweet figs! They remind me so much of Italy in their flavor and delicacy.

Fig Arugula Salad — Spotlight on Figs

For the longest time, I thought figs were weird.

My Italian relatives always had fig trees, but I never ate them. About 4 years ago, I decided to give figs a try and was pleasantly surprised to discover just how good they are!

Now I have my own fig tree that bears a ton of figs in the latter portion of the summer into early fall. (Want your own fig tree? Here’s where you can order one online)

Believe it or not, figs are actually inverted flowers rather than fruit!

Figs are a member of the mulberry family and are a good source of potassium, calcium, and fiber.

The mix of figs with the arugula is actually an excellent source of Vitamin K (which is a key synergistic nutrient vital for calcium and Vitamin D to build healthy bones).

That said, if you’ve got issues with kidney stone formation or are sensitive to oxalates, figs are not for you. They are unfortunately high in oxalic acid.

There are different varieties and colors depending on where they come from.

You can basically eat the entire fig. I just trim off the top “stem” (if it is still attached) and then dive in.

Another thing — I love using frozen figs in protein shakes or smoothies!

You can purchase them at Trader Joe’s in the frozen food section halved. Or if you have a tree just like me, you can rinse and half them. Then freeze the figs in a ziploc bag so they don’t go to waste.

This salad would pair well with…

Sweet Potato Fries

Crockpot Italian Pork (aka. Porchetta)

Gluten-Free Lasagna

Oven Steamed Salmon