Citrus Salad with Honey-Tarragon Vinaigrette | #ProgressiveEats

Does your body ever crave something, but you just can't figure out what? You walk through the kitchen, opening the fridge, then the pantry, then the fridge, then the pantry—and still, nothing seems right? When this happens to me, that yearning can usually only be satisfied with one of two things: dark leafy greens or citrus fruit.

Blood Orange Margarita

Not that you need an excuse to chill with a tasty cocktail, but since today is Cinco de Mayo, we'll go ahead and name that as the reason for enjoying one before noon.  I think I've mentioned before that the Cinco de Mayo celebrations in our family mostly revolve around birthdays!  My youngest son was born today.  My mom was born today.  One of my nephews was born today.  Celebrate!

I know, I know.  You're probably saying "but your husband is from Mexico..." (you're totally saying that, right?).  True.  But he is not from Puebla, and Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional celebration celebrating the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

That said, we do live in America and here we like to throw fiestas and consume many plates of Mexican food and many glasses and bottles of Mexican cocktails and beer on this day.  Our town even has an annual event with traditional dance and music to accompany the food.  It is really a celebration of Mexican heritage.

So, for whatever reason you choose to celebrate today...you might as well do it with style.  And carrying out a pitcher of these jewel-hued margaritas would definitely qualify.  Salud!

Blood Orange Margaritas

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage blood orange alcohol Cinco de Mayo Day of the Dead Christmas Mexican

Ingredients (6-9 cocktails)

margarita

• ⅔ c. fresh lime juice
• ¼ c. superfine sugar
• ¾ c. water
• 1 c. silver tequila
• ½ c. Cointreau or Triple Sec
• 2 c. freshly squeezed blood orange juice (or store-bought, if you like)

to finish

• lime half
• coarse salt and/or superfine or coarse sugar
• ice cubes

Instructions

In a large pitcher, stir together the lime juice, sugar, and water until sugar has dissolved. Mix in tequila, cointreau (or triple sec), and blood orange juice. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, ~1 hour.

Moisten the rims of your glasses with the cut side of a lime. Spread coarse salt and/or one of the sugars (on separate plates) and upend the glasses to crust the rims.

Next, you can finish up one of two ways. Either fill a cocktail shake ~¾ full of ice and add ~1½ c. of mixture to it. Shake and pour into glasses. Or you can simply shake the mixture around in the pitcher and bit and pour it over ice in your glasses to drink it on the rocks. Really this depends on the type/size of glasses you're using. Either way...ENJOY!

notes:

Obviously freshly squeezed blood orange juice is going to taste the best and give you the best, deepest color for your cocktail. Unfortunately, blood oranges aren't always readily available everywhere. The ones I found this time were on the tail-end-out and didn't contain much juice. So I bought a jug of blood orange juice to use in their stead. I really wanted some. It still tastes pretty fantastic, but the color isn't as brilliant.

adapted from Fiesta at Rick's

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IHCC theme: Cinco de Mayo

Spinach and Citrus Salad w/ Ginger-Sesame Dressing

Carotenoids, Fiber, Lutein, Lycopene, Omega-3's, Potassium, Vitamin C, Gingerol, and Isoflavones.  I bet those were the first things that popped into your head when you saw the photo of this salad, weren't they?  Yes.  I thought the same thing.

NOT.

It was all about the deep, gorgeous colors when this was on the table.  But the same things that make this salad such a looker are exactly those things I mentioned above.  The jewel-tones of segmented grapefruit in two colors, blood orange, and apricots adorn the tender green leaves of baby spinach.  Candied nuts gleaming with a thin shell of sugar are tucked amongst these bright bursts of color.  And the musky, seductive scent of sesame oil and ginger complete the experience.

If you don't do it for the looks...you've got to make this for the awesome health benefits and fantastic flavors!

Spinach and Citrus Salad w/ Ginger Sesame Dressing

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: salad vegan citrus spinach ginger blood orange

Ingredients (serves 8-12)

Salad

• 10-12 oz. baby spinach
• 2 ruby red grapefruit, segmented
• 2 white grapefruit, segmented
• 4 blood oranges, segmented
• 4 oz. candied walnuts (see below)
• 4 oz. candied hazelnuts (see below)
• 4 oz. dried apricots, julienned
• Ginger Sesame Dressing (see below)

Quick Candied Nuts

• ½ c. sugar
• 1½ c. nuts (any type...I used equal parts walnuts and hazelnuts here)
• coarse salt

Ginger Sesame Dressing

• ¼ c. grated ginger root
• ¼ c. soy sauce
• ¼ c. rice vinegar
• ¼ c. sesame oil
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Salad

Place spinach in a large serving bowl. Toss with as much dressing as you'd like (start with about half of the recipe and adjust as needed).

Add grapefruit and blood orange segments, apricots, and candied nuts. Toss again gently. Serve and enjoy!

Quick Candied Nuts (yield: 1½ c.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Slide into oven and bake for ~5 minutes or until golden and lightly toasted. Set aside to cool a bit.

Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium, stirring with a wooden spoon once the sugar starts melting. Stir until sugar has completely melted and medium-amber in color. Quickly add the nuts to the pan and stir quickly to coat each one.

Turn out onto a silpat or sheet of parchment and working quickly, use a couple of forks to separate the nuts. Sprinkle with a good smattering of salt and allow to cool completely.

Ginger Sesame-Dressing (yield: ~1 c.)

Combine all of the ingredients (black pepper to taste) in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake it up!

You could easily half this recipe as you probably won't use it all here...but it's so good that you might like having the extra around.

Salad & dressing adapted from FoodTrients. Nuts slightly adapted from Simply Recipes.

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Whole Food Wednesdays

Fizzy Lifting Drinks inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I've adored the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for as long as I can remember.  Since I was a wee one.  But in the spirit of full disclosure I have to tell you - this is the first time I've actually read the book.  I don't know why.  I've had my nose buried in books for just as long!  And it's crazy since I'm a fan of Roald Dahl.  BFG.  James and the Giant Peach.  Matilda.  Go figure.  So I was totally excited when my friend Deb from Kahakai Kitchen announced that she was choosing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for this round of Cook the Books!   So now along with both versions of the film adaptation, I also own the book.  And I'm making sure that all my kids take turns reading it.  It has the potential of being a favorite.