Winter Fruit "Cobb" Salad

Ladies and gentlemen ... we have a winner! The winter fruit "cobb" salad.  Nothing could be easier, healthier, faster or more delicious. I can't believe I haven't thought of this before!

 

Truth?  I was really wanting a cobb salad ... bacon, egg, blue cheese, avocado, creamy buttermilk dressing ... YUM! Maybe a garlic bread stick on the side?  I REALLY wanted one.

 

So, I decided to 1.) trick my mind and 2.) make it just a pretty as a traditional cobb. I had spinach at home and a bottle of good balsamic vinegar.

 

We had dinner one night at Dan and Linda's house and they had the BEST balsamic vinegar dressing! David and I could have drank it from a glass. So good! I usually buy the cheap stuff and reduce it down in an attempt to get some decent vinegar. We have always been happy with that ... until we tasted this vinegar that is. It was a cranberry walnut balsamic. 

 

The other night we were in Manchester with them for dinner and a movie and Linda and I stopped in and I got a bottle to take home.  It's called O'Live A Little. It's not a chain - just the one. But this one is in ALLEN: Oil & Vinegar. Same idea. It's a little expensive, but SO GOOD and you just use a drizzle when it's this good, so it lasts a long time.  Plus, it's so flavorful, you don't need olive oil or any fat in your dressing. This is more than enough for a delicious dressing.

 

 

The salad is SO EASY ... assembly required, but that's about it. I toasted the walnuts in a dry pan.

 

Martha Stewart the pomegranate. Just cut it in half and hit it with a wooden spoon over a bowl in the sink.  The seeds fall out whole and the mess is minimal. You really only need 1/2 a pomegranate. I have a small bowl of leftover seeds for breakfast tomorrow.

 

 

Salad:

• 1 bunch of baby spinach 
• 1 pomegranate, seeded
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup of walnut halves, toasted
• Good quality balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix and eat. That's it. Simple. The great thing is, you could add just about anything you had ... a different nut, pear or apple slices, berries, Parmesan or goat cheese, those crunchy Asian salad noodles ... Anything! I think smoked almonds would be perfect.

 

 

Everyone liked it.  The salad was tart from the pomegranate, sweet from the orange, tangy from the vinegar, creamy from the avocado, crunchy from the walnuts. Each bite was slightly different so it was an interesting salad, like a traditional cobb.  It would be a fabulous meal with a piece of grilled chicken or salmon, but tonight I had it by itself and it was really filling. 

 

We will definitely be having this again.