Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Orange and Berry Salad

By

Do you ever get in a salad slump? Bored with your current go-to dressing, or bored of your go-to veggies?

This happens to me every once in a while. Instead of grabbing a piece of Baker’s chocolate and calling it a day, I flipped through a random cookbook and saw a Berry Dressing. This dressing, however, contained a whopping 1/2 cup of sugar! Who needs added sugar in a recipe with naturally-sweet berries?

So, with a bag of frozen berries in one hand and a bundle of curly kale in the other, I started to the kitchen to create a fresh lunch. Full of vitamins and bursting with citrus flavor, I was ready to take on the hot, humid day.

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Orange and Berry Salad Dressing

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 1/2 cups dressing

Orange and Berry Salad Dressing

~This dressing is Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Low-fat, Vegan, Paleo, Soy-free, Corn-free, and Sugar-free.

Ingredients

  • For the Dressing:
  • 1 cup berries (fresh of frozen)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil (or another lightly flavored oil)
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • For the Salad:
  • 1 bundle kale (spinach can be substituted if you do not like kale raw)
  • 1 orange
  • sliced almonds
  • black pepper

Instructions

  1. For the Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Adjust water amount until desired consistency is reached.
  2. For the salad: wash kale (or spinach) thoroughly. Chop kale into small bite-size pieces. Take rind off orange and slice into chunks. To assemble salad, place kale on plate, top with oranges, then almonds, and a dash of fresh ground black pepper. Serve with desired amount of dressing.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/04/23/orange-and-berry-salad/

Health Benefits:

  • Berries: Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, you name it! They are all full of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. The deep colors of the berries are not just for looks, the pigments contain phytochemicals and flavonoids that can help prevent certain types of cancer. They also contain a good amount of vitamin C to help prevent colds and flu. The seeds on the berries contain fiber to help your digestive system.
  • Orange: The common benefit of this citrus, vitamin C, helps prevent cold and flu viruses. They are also good sources of beta-carotene, vitamin A and B, pectin, and potassium. An orange contains over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot inhibiting properties.
  • Almonds: Almonds are a major superfood, and they are full of monounsaturated, good-for-you fats. It contains many nutrients that benefit the brain, and regulate cholesterol. The monounsaturated fats and vitamin E reduce the risk of heart disease.
  • Kale: This leafy green contains a whole host of nutrients to keep you healthy. One cup of kale contains 5 grams of fiber, 15%  daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6, 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds. It is also a great source of calcium, much better than any dairy product.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Build you perfect salad! Tell me what it has on it below. Does it have veggies, meat, nuts, dressing, herbs? (Links welcome)

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. this looks so springy! I’m sort of in a dressing slump in fact… I typically just drizzle olive oil, balsamic, and a mustard on top and call it a day but I really want to start whipping together some actual dressings. I have berries on hand too!

  3. That dressing looks amazing! I seriously can’t imagine it with 1/2 cup sugar in it!!! BTW, just so you know … I get your posts through email, and every since your change to your new host, when you click on “read more of this post”, it gives an error message. When I click on the title through the email, or just come to your site, I can see it. It’s like something didn’t update when you switched or something like that. I’m having some blog issues of my own, and I know how frustrating it can be! Just didn’t know if anyone else told you that … have a great day Alex!

    • Thanks, Jane. I’ve had a few others say that this error has been happening as well. I’m trying to fix it…I definitely know more about food than computers, though!

  5. That salad looks awesome! I love putting as much into my salads as humanly possible. Usually greens with a roasted veggie (brussels sprouts or asparagus…yum!)thinly sliced carrot, beet and red cabbage, artichoke hearts, black beans,sliced hard boiled egg, pumpkin seeds and a scoop of whole milk cottage cheese, with an olive oil/balsamic dressing. Sooo good and sooo satisfying!

    • Meg,

      That is actually the dressing, but I’m glad you think it looks tasty!

  7. This looks incredible Alex. I love the colors! I was always weird about fruit on my salad but I am really starting to come around to the idea these days. I think I need to try berries on a salad ASAP. That dressing in beautiful BTW! :)Thanks for sharing.