Spinach Salad with Jicama and Oranges

This colorful, crunchy salad has wonderful flavor and is loaded with iron, vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, and calcium! Play around with the ingredients; add cucumber, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, watercress for the spinach, the possibilities are whatever sounds good to you. Jicama is a sweet, crunchy root vegetable with a light brown skin.  Once peeled, the flesh is crunchy as an apple and creamy white.  Radishes may be substituted if you can’t find jicama.  The dressing can be used on other vegetables or even melon and can be made with different chopped herbs, like mint or tarragon.  This is a refreshing summer salad that goes with everything. 

Adapted from “Everyday Cooking with Dean Ornish”

Orange-Basil Dressing

4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together OJ, vinegar, and mustard.  Stir in basil and season to taste with S&P.  The dressing can be used at once or stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Salad:

4 cups shredded fresh spinach leaves (rough chop is good, too)

2 navel oranges

½ pound peeled jicama, cut in ½-inch dice

Rough chop or julienne the spinach and add to bowl.  Peel the oranges, slice in rounds, then break the segments up a little and add to bowl.  Peel and dice the jicama and add to the oranges and spinach.  Pour salad dressing over and toss.