Here’s a delicious, very healthful and easy salad to put together. Of course, feel free to vary the vegetables according to your preferences and what you have available. The suggested dressing is Carrot-Orange Dressing and the recipe is below. This dressing is light, with it being free of oil, salt and sugar. It’s healthful and the flavor is adjustable according to your taste. Give it a try sometime!

Below are videos showing how to make the dressing and the salad. The written recipes follow the videos.

Enjoy!
Judi

Spring Mix Salad with Carrot-Orange Dressing

This recipe is designed so you can make as much or as little as you want, and of course, change the vegetables according to your preferences. The dressing recommendation is below, but you could use any dressing you prefer.

Spring mix
Shredded red cabbage
Onion (diced red, yellow, or scallions), optional
Cucumbers
Celery
Shaved or diced carrot
Broccoli sprouts, or chopped fresh broccoli
Blueberries
Clementine segments
Fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
Garbanzo beans, or beans/peas of choice (cooked or canned, rinsed, drained)
Green peas (frozen and thawed)
Avocado slices, optional
Sliced almonds or walnuts, optional

To make the salad:
Wash all vegetables and cut them into desired size pieces. Arrange ingredients in a serving bowl and top with a few avocado slices, if desired. Mix dressing ingredients as directed and drizzle over salad. Enjoy!

Carrot-Orange Sauce, Dip, or Salad Dressing
Makes About 1-1/4 Cups

This delicious mixture can be used as a sauce over cooked vegetables or grains, as a dip, and as a dressing for green salads. The key is in the amount of lemon juice or vinegar you add. See the suggestion below!

¾ cup chopped carrots (raw, blanched, or frozen and thawed)*
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
½ cup orange juice
½ tsp ground coriander seed
2 to 4 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar**

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. (See notes below.)** Pulse or process until smooth. Transfer to a covered container, and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow it to thicken. Use within 1 week.

If you have a high-powered blender, the raw carrots can be pureed until smooth. If you do not own such a blender, using blanched, or frozen and thawed carrots will give you a smoother product since they will be easier to puree.

*Cook’s Note: To blanch fresh carrots, placed diced carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and allow to cool some before processing.

** Suggestion: The amount of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar you add to this dressing transforms it from a sauce to a dip, or to a salad dressing. Use less acid (2 to 3 tablespoons) if you want to use this as a sauce over vegetables or a grain. Use a medium amount (3 tablespoons) if you want to use this as a dip. Use the full amount (4 tablespoons) if you use this as a salad dressing, so the tang will bring the flavor out above the salad greens. If you’re not sure, add just 2 tablespoons at first, taste it, and add more acid as desired.

The flavors will blend well when this mixture is allowed to sit in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight. This is especially helpful when adding 4 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. When using this as a sauce with less lemon juice or vinegar, it may be used right away. However, allowing it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes gives the ground flaxseed time to thicken the mixture before it is used.