This Orange Date and Pomegranate Spinach Salad makes a beautiful, healthy winter salad,  guaranteed to cheer you up on the dreariest day!

Baby spinach and peppery arugula, sweet oranges, squishy dates and tiny pomegranate jewels make this citrus-date salad one to remember . . .  and, if you’re like me, it’s one you’ll make again and again. It’s just that good!

It’s easy to find fresh salad ingredients in the summer months (when we basically live on fresh salads and grilled meat). In the winter months, however, it can be a little more challenging to find veggies that are at their peak.

That’s when we need to be creative, and use the fruits and veggies that ARE in season. For example, this Watermelon Radish and Satsuma Spinach Salad is perfect for those months in which satsumas are in season. It adds an exotic element to your meals when you’re getting tired of soups and stews!

Similarly, when kiwis are at their peak, this Kiwi Mandarin Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing makes a refreshing addition to your dinner, and it’s full of all that Vitamin C we need in the winter months. And of course, my favorite Pomegranate Mandarin Salad with Avocado and Feta is always in demand in my home.

In today’s winter salad recipe, I used sweet navel oranges, Medjool date and  pomegranates to dress up a base of a baby spinach-arugula salad mix to make this green salad with winter fruit.

greens:  baby spinach, or a spinach-arugula blend. I used this blend, because I like the contrast of peppery arugula with the sweet fruit. I also added a few fresh sprouted seeds.

oranges:  you’ll be peeling and sectioning the oranges, but you’ll also need the zest, so remember to zest it first!

dates:  Medjool dates are soft, squishy and naturally sweet. You’ll remove the pits and quarter the dates lengthwise.

pomegranate seeds:  or arils, as they’re also called. Buy a fresh pomegranate and seed it yourself, or buy them already seeded. They’re also available frozen in the freezer section of your supermarket.

almonds: I like flaked almonds in this winter salad recipe. Toasted lightly, they add a nice element of crunch!

Honey Citrus Dressing: has just the right amount of sweet citrus flavor this salad needs!

HOW TO MAKE

When I make a salad, I usually make the vinaigrette first, then set it aside to allow the flavors to blend. I like to use a small jar to mix the ingredients, then just shake, shake, shake!

1. Since you’ll need a little orange zest to garnish this salad, remember to zest one of the oranges first. Then slice off both ends of the oranges so you have a stable base. Slice from top to bottom to remove the peel and the white pith, which can be bitter. Next, using a sharp paring knife, make cuts close to the membrane on either side of each segment, gently lifting them out. Take care not to cut into the inner membrane to make it easier to remove all the sections.  Toast sliced almonds in a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Pit and quarter the dates, slicing lengthwise.
3. Arrange the greens in a shallow bowl, then top with orange sections, dates, pomegranate arils, toasted almonds and garnish with orange zest.
4. Toss with Honey Citrus Dressing just before serving. Guaranteed rave reviews!