Spinach and Orange Salad

The spinach and orange salad is a light and flavorful dish that combines the freshness of spinach with the sweetness of oranges. Here is an Italian version of this salad.

Ingredients

• 150 g of fresh spinach
• 2 medium-sized oranges
• 30 g of walnuts or pine nuts
• 50 g of salted ricotta or feta (optional, to add a touch of creaminess)
• 1/2 small red onion (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

Preparation

1. Start by washing the spinach thoroughly and dry it gently. Place it in a bowl or on a serving dish.
2. Peel the oranges ‘a vivo’, removing all the white pith and seeds, and slice them or cut them into cubes, depending on your preference.
3. Add the cut oranges to the bowl with the spinach.
4. If you decide to use red onion, slice it thinly and add it to the other ingredients.
5. Roughly chop the walnuts or pine nuts and add them to the salad.
6. If you are using salted ricotta or feta, crumble it over the salad.
7. Season the salad with salt and pepper to your taste. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice to lightly acidify the dish.
8. Gently mix the salad so that the ingredients are well combined and serve immediately.

If you need to replace any ingredients, feel free to do so according to your taste and what you have available. For example, you could add olives for an even more Mediterranean touch or substitute the salted ricotta with parmesan shavings.

Curiosity

Spinach is known for its high iron content, but also for the presence of oxalates, which can limit its absorption. The ascorbic acid present in the orange helps to counteract this effect, making the iron more available for our body.