Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette

Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad

I love this salad! It’s always a hit with family and friends. People love the combination of fruit and cheese.

You can twist this salad up any way you please. Use sliced apple or pear instead of oranges, or toasted walnuts instead of almonds. If I make it for company, I’ll candy the nuts, but in general I prefer to reduce the calories and sugar, so I just toast the nuts. I like that better anyway – less calories and sugar.

Goat cheese, blue cheese , or gorgonzola are such a great choice because while they might be higher in fat and calories, you get a big boost of creamy flavor with just a few tablespoons.

I’m amazed that most of my friends only make this salad when company is coming. It’s such an easy salad to pull together, and what a great way to get your greens in for the day!

Don’t forget my cooking with color challenge. How could I miss the mark with this salad!

Happy cooking!

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 ounces pomegranate balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
8 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons almonds, sliced and toasted
2 medium mandarin oranges , sectioned and halved
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine vinegar, olive oil, mustard and honey in a jar and shake to combine.
2. Add remaining ingredients in a salad bowl and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat the salad ingredients.

What’s good for me in this dish?

As you can imagine, oranges top the chart in vitamin C, but they also contain lots of fiber, folate, B1, potassium, vitamin A and calcium. A great source of phytonutrients, oranges give them significant antioxidant properties. Citrus provides protection against esophageal, mouth, larynx, and stomach cancers. It also provides significant protection against cardiovascular disease.

Spinach is another powerhouse of nutrition. Spinach contains iron for energy, and vitamins C and A, folic acid and B6 to help your heart. Spinach has 13 different flavonoid compounds that function as antioxidants, and as anti-cancer agents.

Calories: 105
Total Fat: 4.34g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Sodium: 77mg
Total Carbs: 14.97g
Dietary Fiber: 1.51g
Sugars: 12.86g
Protein: 3.21g
Weight Watchers Points 2

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com I am not a licensed nutritionist, nor a medical professional, and do not mean this information as medical or nutrition advice. See your medical professional if you have questions regarding your nutritional needs.