I love salad. Salad of all varieties and permutations. It's hard for me to have a meal without having a salad as a component because something just feels missing when a salad isn't present.
But in wintertime, it can be a bit rough to indulge in my salad cravings. In the summer, vegetable salads are so easy to throw together - there are fantastic lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. that are literally bursting forth in the garden. In the winter, however, the fresh vegetables are much more limited. Once the weather changes and the cold hits, I have to change gears and start thinking of salads that combine winter vegetables, fruits, nuts, and even cheeses.
Here's an example of one winter salad that I love. It utilizes citrus (in season right now), nuts, and winter greens. The orange segments and sliced red onion give the salad a freshness and sweetness that is a welcome juxtaposition to the hearty and rich dishes that often make up my winter dinners.
Winter Spinach & Citrus Salad
Ingredients:
3 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
1/6 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds
3 Tbs. olive oil
the juice from the leftover orange discards
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
In a medium bowl, place the spinach, orange segments, onion, and almonds. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette right before serving. Makes 4 servings.
Tonight, we had our family "movie night" - watched Mickey & the Beanstalk (borrowed from our public library) and ate this salad and homemade chicken sausage pizzas. The kids were happy (pizza & a movie are always a hit here) and their parents were happy having a quiet evening at home.
Comments