Winter Citrus and Arugula Salad

This Winter Citrus and Arugula Salad is bursting with flavor from peppery arugula complemented by sweet and tangy citrus. Plus, it’s easy to make in just minutes!

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free

I love it when food becomes art. Or is the art, food?

When I dream up recipes (yes, sometimes quite literally…I sleep with a notebook next to my bed!), I can often envision exactly how I want to photograph a dish to portray the vision I fantasize about in my head. Other times I pray to the food gods that I’ll get some inspiration while I’m cooking. Luckily, there’s always Pinterest for when I need some food styling tips!

When I thought of this Winter Citrus and Arugula Salad, it was a combination of having an image in my head I wanted to execute and being inspired by the striking colors of the fruit. Don’t forget the blood oranges to really provide some gorgeous color contrast!

It’s not too difficult to capture in-season produce because the colors are vibrant and jump off the plate. The same is true about nutrition when we focus on in-season produce. The nutrients jump out because it’s FRESH! Did you know that eating in season is actually better for you?

December marks the start of citrus season and I’m so excited!!

Bright citrus provides tons of nutritious benefits too…

• It’s loaded with vitamin C, which can shorten the duration of the common cold (and hello, it’s flu season!). Plus, vitamin C helps our bodies better absorb plant-based forms of IRON, which is potent in pumpkin seeds and dark leafy greens!
• Citrus is a great source of FIBER. A medium orange contains 3 grams of filling fiber.
• Oranges contain folate and calcium too!

5-ingredients and 10 minutes are all you need to make this salad…

This recipe contains just 5 ingredients (you know how that’s my thing!), plus the dressing, and is SO simple to whip up for lunch, to start a dinner party, or even as a snack!

First, start with a citrus dressing.

Combine acidic, but sweet, orange juice and apple cider vinegar with olive oil, plus a touch of honey for a just sweet enough dressing on peppery arugula.

Pair with greens.

Of course, if you’re not a fan of arugula you can swap it out for anther green you prefer. Mixed mesclun greens would work beautifully, as would baby spinach. Personally, if I eat too much raw baby spinach at once I get that chalky feeling in my mouth – ya know?

One word of caution when choosing a green – I would avoid a real sturdy green, like kale or collards, because the dressing is light and won’t hold up as well.

Add your citrus.

Slice your citrus as close to the membrane as possible. You could “supreme” your citrus, but that’s more complicated, and well, I just don’t want to make this salad more complicated than it needs to be!

And top with pepitas, or pumpkin seeds.

An ounce of pumpkin seeds contain 4% of your daily IRON needs. Pairing with citrus (an excellent source of vitamin C) helps your body better absorb this plant-based form of iron. How cool is that?!

Don’t forget to PIN IT…

[Tweet “Winter Citrus & Arugula Salad for a refreshing light bite packed with vitamin C & fiber!”]

This Winter Citrus and Arugula Salad is…

• Delicious
• Nutritious
• Easy to assemble
• Full of vitamin C
• A light bite
• Gorgeous to look at

Let’s cook assemble…

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Looking for more 5 ingredient meals? Check out my ebook, Thrive in 5!

XO