Gina's Arizona Citrus Salad

This recipe was inspired by a visit to a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. I loved it so much I ran back to my hotel room and wrote down everything I could remember was in it. It's a beautiful salad with a light dressing and has lots of texture and color. The dressing took some experimenting, but I think it turned out just right.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 272 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced onion
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 (3 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 avocado, chopped
• ⅔ cup light olive oil
• 1 green apple, cored and chopped
• 1 (5 ounce) package spring mix salad greens
• 1 pkg. (4 serving size) crumbled goat cheese
• ¼ cup seasoned walnuts, or to taste (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Blend olive oil, sugar, orange juice, poppy seeds, minced onion, Dijon mustard, orange zest, and salt in a blender until smooth.

Step 2

Toss salad greens, green onions, avocado, green apple, goat cheese, cranberries, golden raisins, mandarin oranges, and walnuts together in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing over the salad; toss to coat.