Blood Orange Fennel Salad

Fennel’s unique savory flavor balances the sweet red pepper and blood orange. The salad’s dressing gets its sweetness from maple syrup to contrast the zip of mustard. This recipe comes to us from Christy, The Blissful Chef.

Serves 6

F0r the sweet mustard dressing:

• 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• or
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine
• salt and pepper, to taste

To complete the blood orange fennel salad:

• 1 cup fennel, thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 red onion*, thinly sliced
• 1 head of leafy lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
• 2 blood oranges, peeled and separated into segments
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

*optional

To make the sweet mustard dressing:

In a small bowl combine grapeseed oil, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar or wine and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.

To complete the blood orange fennel salad:

In a medium bowl, soak the fennel, red pepper and onion if using with the sweet mustard dressing for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Place the lettuce, blood orange segments and avocado in a large serving bowl. Pull veggies out of the dressing and toss with lettuce mixture. Drizzle with additional sweet mustard dressing to taste, sprinkle with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.