Blood Orange, Fennel, Roasted Beet & Avocado Salad

With Citrus-Ginger Vinaigrette

A friend served a version of this beautiful salad at a our book group and I loved it so much that I decided to recreate it at home last night. With blood oranges showing up at the market right now, the timing couldn't be better. Their gorgeous shades of deep red and bright orange make this salad especially colorful, and their sweet, slightly tart flavor pairs beautifully with crisp fennel, earthy roasted beets, and creamy avocado.

Finished with toasted pine nuts and a bright citrus-ginger vinaigrette, it's fresh, flavorful, and surprisingly simple to put together. If blood oranges aren't available, regular oranges work beautifully, too.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 4 cups leafy green lettuce or arugula

• 2 blood oranges, peeled and segmented

• 1 avocado, cubed

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced using a mandoline

• 2 medium roasted beets, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or use pre-cooked)

• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

For the Citrus-Ginger Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/4  cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

• 2 tablespoons raw honey

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest

• 1/4  teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and trim the beets, wrap individually in foil, and roast for 45–60 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Allow to cool, then peel and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, fresh ginger, orange zest, salt, pepper, and celery seeds. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Prepare the fennel. Trim the stalks and base of the fennel bulb. Using a mandoline, shave the fennel into very thin slices.

Prepare the oranges. Remove the peel and white pith from the blood oranges. Cut into segments or thin rounds.

Assemble the salad. Arrange the leafy greens or arugula on a large serving platter. Layer with the shaved fennel, blood orange segments, roasted beet cubes, and avocado.

Finish and serve. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Drizzle with the citrus-ginger vinaigrette just before serving and gently toss to combine.

Tuesday Foods Kitchen Notes

Beet shortcut: Short on time? Use pre-cooked, vacuum-packed beets from the produce section of your grocery store. Simply drain, pat dry, and cut into cubes. Look for plain cooked beets without added vinegar or seasonings. They're a great time-saver and work beautifully in this salad.

Make it ahead: Roast the beets and prepare the dressing up to three days in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator. The fennel can also be sliced ahead of time. Cut the avocado just before serving to keep it fresh.

Make it a meal: Add grilled chicken, salmon, or white beans for an extra boost of protein.

Seasonal swap: No blood oranges? Cara Cara or regular navel oranges are delicious alternatives.

A little nutrition: This colorful salad delivers vitamin C from the oranges, fiber and naturally occurring plant compounds from the beets and fennel, and heart-healthy unsaturated fats from the avocado and pine nuts. It's a beautiful example of how simple, whole-food ingredients can come together to create something both nourishing and delicious.