Here’s an easy bowlful of color and crunch, dressed in a nutty and versatile sauce that you may want to double just so you can keep it on hand. It’s a vegan salad that makes you want to take just one more bite, and then another … heck, even if you polish it off yourself, that’s not the worst thing in the world.

Cashews add a little extra something; you could also add shredded, cooked chicken (rotisserie); or cooked beans; or half a can of oil-packed/drained tuna; or some cooked/shaped pasta.

Small fennel bulbs are now at the market. They look flat, and they fit in the palm of your hand; this is what you want to use in this recipe. You can freeze the stalks and fronds for making vegetable broth later on.

We also liked this salad with fruit in it – sweet, tart, crisp, green seedless grapes, each cut in half. (You might have green grapes on hand already, especially if there are kids in the house. If that’s the case, toss in a cup’s worth, making sure they get coated with the dressing as well.)

Serve with toasted or warmed crusty bread or pita. If there’s dressing left over, it can refrigerated for up to four days.

GREEN TAHINI SALAD

FOR THE DRESSING:

1 medium clove garlic

Leaves from 6 to 8 stems parsley

Leaves from 2 stems basil

2 tablespoons well-stirred/creamy tahini

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 lemon

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE SALAD:

2 medium carrots

1 small fennel bulb (see Overview)

1/2 medium red bell pepper

Salad greens (your choice)

Sea salt

Handful unsalted roasted cashews

For the dressing: Smash and peel the garlic. Place in a mini food processor or blender, then add the parsley, basil, tahini and salt. Squeeze in the lemon juice.

Chop and/or grind until the herbs are broken down, then stop to add the oil. Process for a few minutes to form a green, emulsified (kind of creamy) dressing. The yield is about 1/2 cup.

For the salad: As you work, transfer these ingredients to a mixing bowl: Scrub the carrots and cut into matchsticks.

Remove the core of the fennel bulb by cutting in on either side of the round core at the root end; this will form a triangular piece that will fall away. Discard the fennel’s tough outer layer. Cut the remaining fennel crosswise into very thin slices.

Remove the seeds and ribs from the red bell pepper, then cut the flesh into thin strips.

Add the salad greens and a pinch of salt; toss to mix well, then pour in half the dressing. Stir or toss to coat evenly, then divide among wide, shallow bowls. Drizzle with more of the dressing, then scatter the cashews over each salad.

Serve with the remaining green tahini (for dipping pita/bread). If you like, toss the grapes into the salad.