Blood Orange And Spinach Salad
By: Tom Corson-Knowles
Published: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - 12:26am

Ingredients




Vinaigrette ingredients:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons blood orange juice
2 Teaspoons white vinegar (white)
1/4 Teaspoon honey
A pinch of sea salt
Then gather the salad ingredients:
2 Cups spinach
1/4 Cups walnuts, roughly chopped
2 blood oranges, peeled and cut into segments (leave on at least some of the pith for more fiber)
Blood orange vinaigrette

Preparation

1 Wash and dry the spinach. Then combine everything in a large bowl, setting aside 6 to 8 blood orange segments. Toss with the vinaigrette until everything is evenly coated. Serve and place the remaining orange segments on top of your salad. 2 Not a fan of spinach? Arugula also is a good salad partner for the blood orange. Try it with chopped fennel and red onion, as well as the walnuts. 3 Oh, and if you’ve got leftover oranges, they’ll keep for a few days at room temperature, but will last longer — up to two weeks — if you store them in the fridge.

About

Think salads are only for summer? Think again. Winter is prime-time for some of the most satisfying — and healthy — greens grazing.
And one of my favorite in-season salad ingredients is the blood orange. Grown mostly in southern Italy and Spain, they also thrive in Texas and California. I came across them this week at a terrific farmers’ market where these exotic fruits these were selling out fast! (If you don’t have a year-round farmer’s market, you’ll still be able to find them in some specialty grocery stores from December through March.)
Smaller than other oranges, this variety packs a big boost of antioxidants. In fact, they’ve got more Vitamin C than any other citrus. The reason is the distinctive deep ruby-red color of their juicy pulp. The pigment is due to the presence of anthocyans, highly beneficial flavonoids.The flavor of these fruits is also unique: sweet, and slightly tart, with a little hint of raspberry. They’re best fresh, and that’s why I sometimes just slice ‘em and eat ‘em!
But combining them with two other mega-nutritious ingredients — spinach and walnuts (also rich in the antioxidants essential for healthy cells, as well as high in fiber, Vitamin K and anti-inflammatory properties) — is a great way to make a quick and easy one-plate meal. And it’s especially delicious and refreshing after a workout.
Plus, this recipe will only take you 10 minutes, tops, to prepare.