Easy Spinach Salad

When people picture “healthy food”, chances are high that the first food that comes to mind is salad, especially nutrient-rich spinach salad.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, raw foods require more digestive “heat” to break down and, therefore, are not recommended in the winter, unless accompanied by warming spices, or soups and stews.

I often refrain from eating salads, if not for this reason, but also because I find them sticky, hard to eat (I always end up getting dressing on my chin) and need to be eaten with a fork.  However, they are a health food staple and, if you are blessed with a healthy digestive system, salad contains many raw nutrients that haven’t been lost in the cooking process.  Here’s an easy and delicious salad that can be packed for you lunch in under 5 minutes:

Spinach is one of the most nutritious leafy greens out there.  However, in order to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) you must consume spinach with fat.  In this salad, our source or fat is extra virgin olive oil and walnuts.

Easy Spinach Salad

2 cups of baby spinach, torn into pieces

1 mandarin orange, peeled, separated and cut into pieces

1/4 cup of walnuts

Honey Mustard Dressing: 1 tbsp honey mustard, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (as always with salad dressings, follow the 2:1 rule.  Use 2 parts vinegar for every 1 part oil). Mix well.

Another variation of this is pecans (to replace walnuts) and strawberries (to replace the mandarin orange).  The combinations are endless!

Mix ingredients together in a large class tupperware container.  Sprinkle with dressing and shake vigorously (I love a well-shaken salad).  Enjoy!  Just keep some napkins on hand to wipe that delicious dressing off your chin.