This is a great salad to chase away winter blues because first: it's a salad in winter, and second: the ingredients are always available. The toasted almonds are my favorite. Roasting really does bring out a nice flavor that is otherwise hidden. The salad has a sweet and tangy dressing that is also really good.
Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, torn
3 ounces baby spinach
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup crasins
1 can mandarin oranges, drained and patted dry with paper towels
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Wash and dry lettuce, celery and green onions. Drain oranges and pat dry with paper towels. While lettuce and oranges dry, roast almonds. Turn the broiler on. Spread almonds on a cookie sheet and put the cookie sheet directly under the broiler. It usually takes less than 2 minutes for the almonds to brown in my oven. Watch the almonds carefully because ovens vary, and it may take less time for them to brown in yours. Once almonds are brown, remove cookie sheet from oven and let almonds cool. Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces and put it in a salad bowl. Add chopped celery, green onion and mandarin oranges; toss. Just before serving add almonds. Drizzle with poppy seed dressing.
Oil Free Poppy Seed Dressing:
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pectin
2 tablespoons vinegar
½ cup water
½ teaspoon poppy seeds
Put all ingredients in a pint jar that has a screw top lid (a Mason jar, for example). Mix with a wire whisk until sugar and pectin are dissolved. It takes some time to get all the pectin dissolved. Cover with screw top lid and refrigerate 2 hours before serving. Shake dressing before pouring it on top of the salad.
Printable Version of Mandarin Orange and Romaine Salad
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