Spinach and Orange Salad

The spinach and orange salad is a light and flavorful dish that combines the freshness of spinach with the sweetness of oranges. Here is an Italian version of this salad.

Ingredients

• 150 g fresh spinach
• 2 medium-sized oranges
• 30 g walnuts or pine nuts
• 50 g salted ricotta or feta (optional, to add a touch of creaminess)
• 1/2 small red onion (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

Preparation

1. Start by thoroughly washing the spinach and gently patting it dry. Arrange it in a bowl or on a serving plate.
2. Peel the oranges, removing all the white pith and seeds, and slice or dice them according to your preference.
3. Add the prepared oranges to the bowl with the spinach.
4. If using the red onion, slice it thinly and add it to the other ingredients.
5. Roughly chop the walnuts or pine nuts and add them to the salad.
6. If using salted ricotta or feta, crumble it over the salad.
7. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice to add a slight acidity.
8. Gently toss the salad so the ingredients combine well and serve immediately.

Feel free to substitute any ingredients based on your taste and what you have available. For example, you could add olives for an even more Mediterranean touch or replace the salted ricotta with shaved Parmesan.

Trivia

Spinach is known for its high iron content, but also for the presence of oxalates, which can limit its absorption. The ascorbic acid in the orange helps counteract this effect, making the iron more available to our bodies.