Remember my goal of eating more salad? I have found that eating a giant salad is key for me sticking to a healthy diet.
I can cram all sorts of veggies, protein, healthy fats, and fruit into my day, not to mention loads of fiber. Fiber is so important for a healthy digestive tract, but it also helps regulate blood sugar and keeps me full, longer. So a salad a day it is!
Adding cranberries, in any form, gives your salad an upgrade and makes it even more delicious and healthy. This salad includes both Craisins® Dried Cranberries and Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail in the vinaigrette.
For me a good salad includes not just a great combo of flavors, but also textures. There’s plenty of crunch in this salad from the onions, carrots, and nuts. There’s tender baby spinach and toothsome chickpeas and quinoa. Craisins® Dried Cranberries add the perfect tart-sweet element to this salad, and they’re chewy, which I love!
The vinaigrette, as I mentioned, uses cranberry juice. I gave my basic vinaigrette recipe a little makeover and an extra punch of flavor. For another little kick, I added fresh ginger. It tastes so refreshing drizzled over this vibrant salad.
What’s your favorite way to upgrade a salad?
Spinach Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Yield 4 servings
This healthy spinach salad features double the cranberry goodness with the addition of Craisins® Dried Cranberries and cranberry juice in the vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- For Cranberry Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- For Salad:
- 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (or other whole grain)
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Craisins® Dried Cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 large firm-ripe avocado, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together cranberry juice, vinegar, ginger, and Dijon mustard. Season well with salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil. Transfer to a jar with tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Place spinach, chickpeas, quinoa, carrots, red onion, Craisins® Dried Cranberries, and almonds in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Divide between bowls and top with sliced avocado. Serve immediately.
Courses Salad
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ocean Spray®. The opinions and text are all mine.
Odessa says
March 20, 2017 at 5:39 pmThis looks super yummy! I love adding mandarin oranges or strawberries to my salads for a little sweetness :)
http://odessadarling.co
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
March 20, 2017 at 8:51 amThere is basically nothing I love more than the sweetness that cranberries bring to a green salad. Yum!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com