Hello Lovelies, I hope everyone enjoyed a nice weekend. I spent some cozy time with the family and less time working on my phone or computer. I have to admit, it's sometimes hard to step away from everything and to be in the moment, when you know there are always messages to reply to, a new recipe to photograph or to type for the blog. But on the other hand, I also need this time away to get new inspirations and ideas and of course my family always comes first.

So today I'm more than happy to be back with a new recipe. A winter salad inspired by seasonal ingredients and with my fav fruit at the moment: blood orange. I love the taste and of course the unique look of blood oranges. And now is the right time to enjoy them, because they are only in season for such a short period of time from Jan-March. Did you know, that blood oranges will get their special color only when they are in an environment with extreme temperature differences - 15 degree C at day and around 2 degree C at night. Otherwise the color change won't happen and they will stay just orange. Or you get just orange ones when you buy too early - like I did last December. They are packed with Vitamin C, just perfect for the grey season.

But lets talk about the salad now. I combined the blood oranges with roasted beets and carrots and also added some maple syrup, orange zest and fresh thyme to the veggies - this will give them the best flavor. Combined with fresh spinach (make sure to have the small baby spinach leaves), roasted hazelnuts and vegan cheese from New Roots (in my opinion the best you can get in Switzerland) - and all of it topped with the perfect Avocado.

The veggies before I put them in the oven - isn't that color just beautiful?!

Here is the recipe:

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Spinach salad with blood oranges and roasted veggies

drucken pinnen

Ingredients

  • 2 red beets
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • salt
  • pepper
  • fresh thyme
  • zest of 1 organic orange
  • 2 blood oranges
  • 3 Tbsp hazelnuts roasted
  • 1/2 Avocado
  • 100 gr spinach 2-3- hand full
  • vegan goat cheese e.g. from New Roots
Dressing:
  • 50 ml Balsamic vinegar
  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 1 Tsp mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F)
  • Peel the beets and carrots and cut into cubes
  • Mix in a bowl with the oil, maple syrup, salt, pepper, fresh thyme and orange zest
  • Add to a baking pan and roast for 25 minutes
  • Cut the avocado and blood orange in slices/rings
  • Wash the spinach and add to a plate with the veggies and oranges
  • Sprinkle with the vegan cheese and the hazelnuts
Dressing:
  • Add all ingredients into a jar and shake well
  • Pour over the salad and enjoy

As dressing I went for a simple vinaigrette with EVOO, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice (orange juice is fine as well) and mustard, since I didn't want to mask the roast aromas and the pleasant acid of the oranges, but rather intensify them. The Avocado adds a nice creaminess to the salad, but if you can't find a good one, or just want the salad to be even lighter, you can of course just leave it out - same goes for the cheese.

I really hope, I could make you curious to try this salad and also get your hands on some blood oranges, while they are in season. But please buy organic ones if they are available for you, especially if you want to use the zest, others are no option in my opinion.

Have a great week and I will be back soon.

Love Verena

If you are on Pinterest, you can find me here and pin this picture:

 

This post is also available in: deutsch

comments

[…] but also parsnip or salads with cabbage, fennel, and of course with oranges, like in this recipe here. I really like the combination with warm and roasted veggies out of the oven, they make any winter […]

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