Okay so this is seriously one of the best salads I’ve ever made. I saw the fennel in Trader Joe’s and I just impulsively grabbed it. (One of my better impulses this year for sure.)

Roasted fennel is delicious. Raw is so good too, but roasting it downplays the licorice flavor a little bit making more versatile and mild.

I tossed the fennel with blackberries, sliced avocado, shaved asparagus fresh basil, crushed pistachios, grated pecorino-romano cheese and lemon. Oh god, I wish I could just eat it all over again. The combination was perfect.

Sweet, salty, buttery, crunchy and so satisfying.

The pistachio, cheese and lemon together creates sort of a messy pesto as a dressing for the salad which I loved. You could add some grilled chicken or salty prosciutto to this to satisfy your meat-eating friends and omit the cheese if you’re vegan. Although, I will feel bad for you if you do.

So I went to the outlet mall last weekend. I always get excited and imagine myself with tons of bags on my arms like I’m in Clueless. Except it would have to an adaptation of the film — a poorer, bootleg version where Cher is lower-middle class with a whopping $100 to blow. Definitely the same amount of complaining and meme-worthy eye-rolling though.

I swear I find the best stuff at Goodwill — that’s my favorite store and I’m not even kidding! Who’s with me!? Oh, and Revolve Clothing. Ugh my shopping cart has been coasting at like $460 and there is no sign of stopping. (Or buying, it seems) Can it be my birthday again? #brat.

What was I saying? Oh, right — salad.

Isn’t it so green and pretty, too? Love it. There’s so much nutrition and feel-good healthy foods for ya in this bowl, I think you’ll enjoy it. It would be a great warm side salad, too. This recipe, like most of mine, serve one to two — feel free to play up the quantities here! You’ll be glad you did.

Roasted Fennel, Shaved Asparagus and Blackberry Salad

• bunch of greens
• 1 bulb fennel, sliced and ends chopped
• heaping handful blackberries
• 1/4 avocado, sliced
• 3-5 stalks asparagus, peeled
• crushed pistachios
• grated pecorino-romano (parm works, too) to taste
• fresh basil, chopped
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• crushed red pepper, extra virgin olive oil spray to taste

Roast olive oil-drizzled or sprayed fennel on parchment paper, season to taste, and roast at 450º for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange salad bowl(s) with greens, blackberries, peeled asparagus (just run the peeler through each stalk a few times) and avocado. When fennel is roasted, add to salad and top with nuts, cheese, basil and lemon juice. You can also add more oil here, too. I use Bertolli’s extra virgin olive oil spray and I’m obsessed.

Tell me how good that is!