1
Jun

Summertime Arugula, Fennel, and Citrus Salad

Everyone knows eating a salad is good for you, but not all lettuce is created equal. They're all similar in caloric content, but not all of them actually provide your body with nutrients. Iceberg, for instance, has virtually no nutritional value, but the darker leafy greens are packed full of vitamins. Arugula has a slight pepper flavor and is an excellent source of Vitamin A, K, and C. I love pairing it with fruit and citrus to balance its bold flavor.

This salad also contains a health serving of fennel which has a lot of health properties relevant to those of us with IBD. Fennel provides vitamin C for immune support; fiber, folate, and potassium for gut health; and iron to help battle the anemia that a lot of us face. Who can turn down a vegetable with all of those nutritional properties, especially when it smells like licorice?! I used my handy dandy World Cuisine spiral slicer to make shaved pieces, but you can also use a mandoline or just a sharp knife. I just love how simple it is, and this one is so easy to cleanup. I picked this brand solely based on Amazon reviews, and have been really happy with it so far! I use it for zucchini or carrot noodles all the time, but this was the first time I used the slicing disc. I think I'll do this from now on for my salads. It makes the veggies so crisp and easy to stab with a fork!

 

Summertime Arugula, Fennel, and Citrus Salad



AUTHOR:

SERVES: 4

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups arugula
  • 2 large oranges
  • 1 fennel bulb, stems and leaves removed then thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • salt and pepper

Citrus Dressing

  • 1/8 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

  1. First, segment your oranges and remove the membranes. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom of the orange. Then cut down the sides to remove the peel and the white bitter pith. Using a pairing knife, separate the orange segments from the membranes. Do all of this over a bowl so you can catch the fresh juice that will inevitably spill out from the orange. There’s also quite a bit of juice left in the membranes, so squeeze it in your palm to release the rest.
  2. Mix all of the dressing ingredients, except for the olive oil. In a constant, slow stream, begin to whisk in the oil until well incorporated. I actually throw it all into one of my husbands blender bottles with the wire ball and shake it up for a few minutes. It works so well for dressings!
  3. Combine the arugula, orange slices, fennel, and slivered almonds in a bowl. Pour about 1/4 cup of the dressing over the salad and sprinkle a pinch of salt and ground pepper over the top then toss to mix.
  4. I love serving this along side grilled fish and fresh summer vegetables. Enjoy!

If you’ve never segmented an orange before, watch a tutorial on YouTube to see how it’s done. It’s super easy and makes the orange slices melt in your mouth since they’ve been separated from the tougher membrane.