Description

A vibrant salad combining sweet-tart mandarins, crisp spinach, toasted almonds, and tangy goat cheese, tied together by a golden honey balsamic dressing. It’s a quick, wholesome dish perfect for light lunches or zesty sides.

Ingredients

10 oz baby spinach
1 can mandarin oranges (15 oz, drained) or 4 fresh mandarins, peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles (or feta for non-dairy)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt and black pepper

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Instructions

Wash and dry the baby spinach.
Drain mandarin oranges (if using canned) and pat dry.
Toss spinach with mandarin segments, red onion, and half the goat cheese.
Sprinkle toasted almonds over the salad.
In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Pour dressing over salad and toss gently. Top with remaining goat cheese.

Notes

Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. For a vegan version, omit goat cheese and use nutritional yeast instead. Serve with grilled tofu or shrimp for added protein.