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Mandarin Spinach Salad | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fantastic #salad uses #mandarinoranges, #apples, homemade cinnamon-sugar #almonds & has a homemade salad dressing with a dash of hot sauce that's absolutely dynamite. This salad is terrific for company or #holiday dinners like #MothersDay or #FathersDay. It's also great made with #strawberries & #kiwi. #vegan #Glutenfree

Mandarin Spinach Salad

Teresa Ambra
This spinach salad is colorful and festive as well as delectable. The almonds are toasted with cinnamon-sugar. This one has mandarin oranges and apples. You can also add strawberries or kiwis. The salad dressing is the key to this recipe. The hot sauce makes this recipe sensational. Gluten free and vegan.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Salads and Salad Dressings
Cuisine Asian
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

SALAD:

  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds or pecan pieces
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon sugar
  • 1 tsp. unsalted butter or use avocado oil if trying to keep the recipe vegan
  • 1/4 head lettuce torn
  • 1/4 bunch spinach or romaine torn
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 2 ribs celery sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 14 oz. can mandarin oranges drained, add just when ready to serve
  • 1 large Gala Apple unpeeled and diced, cut just before serving
  • 3 kiwis sliced, if desired
  • 1 pint strawberries sliced, if desired

SWEET AND SOUR DRESSING:

  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or canola oil
  • 2 tbsp. vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tbsp. parsley
  • dash pepper
  • dash red pepper sauce

Instructions
 

SALAD:

  • Combine nuts, cinnamon sugar, butter in microwaveable pie plate sprayed with cooking spray; spread evenly onto the bottom of the pie plate. (Substitute avocado oil for the butter if trying to keep the recipe vegan.)
  • Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring every 30 seconds.
  • Mix lettuce and spinach and spread into a large serving bowl.
  • Layer diced celery, green onions, and red bell pepper on top.
  • Add toasted almonds.
  • Drain mandarin orange segments and add to salad.
  • Top with chopped Gala apples and, if desired, sliced kiwis or strawberries.

SWEET AND SOUR DRESSING:

  • Mix avocado oil, vinegar, salt, sugar, parsley, pepper and red pepper sauce in a jar with a tight lid.
  • Shake mixture vigorously and refrigerate.
  • Add to salad when ready to serve.

Notes

NOTE: The key here is the dressing! Put whatever veggies you want in the salad. I found green and red peppers makes it really "pretty" to the eye - and tastes wonderful! The salad is also really good with strawberries and kiwis.
NOTE: You can also mix the dressing ingredients in a blender to get better emulsion.
NOTE: To keep the recipe vegan, use avocado oil instead of butter when microwaving the cinnamon-sugar almond mixture.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Keyword almonds, apples, orange, salad, side dish, spinach
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