To Love Salads: Citrus Spice Edition

spinach & arugula mix; pecans; clementines; spicy broccoli; paprika roasted peppers; parmesan cheese; dried cranberries; citrus vinaigrette.

On many of my working days, lunchtime is my favorite part of the day. (Aside from my current obsession breakfast oatmeal and the witching hour when it's time to go home.) ANYWAY. Last year, I killed it with salads and wraps. But, as I've mentioned, I can't remember what I put in them.

I have my own set of general tenets to follow when coming to a final decision on what to put in my salad. Often, I'll also consult a few blogs for some extra seasonal inspiration.

To find out key salad components, read more!


My salads are usually some combination of this:

• Greens (often a mix. Spinach + arugula, as an example.)
• Nuts (sometimes, I'll even candy them or spice them or something.)
• Cheese (often one will "dissolve" a bit into the dressing; think crumbled feta or goat)
• Vegetables (roasted or plain)
• Dried fruit (usually dried cranberries)
• Beans (kidney or chick peas are my favorites)
• Dressing (I make this. Some sort of oil [sesame or pistachio are the best] + acid [vinegar or citrus] + salt & pepper + mustard or honey or other things.) 

But, more importantly is ensuring that there are a million flavors and textures. When I'm thinking of the combination, I try to hit key points (parenthesis show examples): crunchy and softer bits (nuts & feta); sweet and spicy bites (dried cranberries & roasted vegetables with crushed red peppers); wet and dry sensations (clementines and spinach). Get it? Just lots of contrast. That's what makes a good salad.

The resulting ensemble of the above pairing (listed below) ends up being what my husband calls "a flavor explosion." I had a bite that seemed unassuming: broccoli, pecan, a tiny segment of clementine, a tiny slice of parmesan and the dressing. It was bright and fresh, with a nutty, but maple sweet crunch and a soft, salty twang with a tiny kicky after taste. I said (thankfully silently in my brain as I was sitting a cubicle) "You've got to be kidding me?! THIS is F*#@ing amazing."

So how'd I get there?

I took inspiration from Sweet Green's Detox Salad. It had some spicy broccoli in it and walnuts. So I made the spicy broccoli and also some paprika roasted green peppers. But, I bought pecans instead of walnuts because walnuts are like $7,000.

Then, I googled "clementine salad" because we have so many clementines! And this salad by Cookie & Kate had the most BEAUTIFULLY sliced clementines! It might be embarrassing to admit, but I never thought to slice clementines like that (horizontally? They look like flowers!). I will do that for my next appetizer party. She also used some clementine & honey in her dressing, so I copied that.

I ended up with a good mix of things (tasting notes in parentheses):

• Spinach + Arugula mix (crunchy & bitter)
• Pecans (natural maple sweet flavor)
• Clementines (juicy, sweet, tart)
• Dried cranberries (chewy, sweet)
• Roasted red pepper broccoli (Spicy & medium crunch)
• Roasted veggies will be an upcoming post.
• Roasted paprika green peppers (different spice & soft)
• Parmesan cheese (I was hesitant. As I usually prefer a cheese that will coat the leaves. But I was pleasantly surprised! I included it because it was in my fridge & I didn't want it to go bad. Sometimes, that is as great as an inspiration as any; even better when it's successful. #wastenotwantnot)
• Citrus dressing (1 clementine + 1/2 lemon + S&P + sesame oil + honey)
• One of these days I'll do measurements for dressing. As of now, I just trust my eyes.

Each night before I go to bed, I'll assemble the salad into a container for lunch the next day. I don't do all the salads for the week at the same time mostly out of laziness because I have this fear it causes wilting. And, obviously, I don't put the dressing on until it's lunchtime because I'm not some sort of salad amateur. 

There you have it, a crunchy, sweet, juicy, spicy citrus salad. Perfect for winter.