This salad starts with a bag of spinach and a can of Mandarin oranges. Sounds simple, but once you've combined the ingredients they add up to a complex mixture of tastes. This recipe has many variations. Substitute strawberries, raspberries, pears, and apples for the oranges. Add strips of grilled chicken or turkey for a main course salad.

You can make the salad dressing a day or even several days ahead. However, the candied walnuts taste best if you make them an hour before you need them. Hide the walnuts the minute they come out of the oven. I'm serious! Otherwise, you or your family members will eat the nuts before you even open the spinach. The preparation time for this salad is 8-10 minutes.

SPINACH SALAD WITH MANDARIN ORANGES AND CANDIED WALNUTS

1 10-ounce bag of fresh spinach

1 6.1-ounce can of Mandarin oranges, drained

2 thin slices of red onion, separated into rings

raspberry salad dressing (recipe below)

candied walnuts (recipe below)

RASPBERRY SALAD DRESSING

6 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar-free raspberry jam (with seeds or without)

1/4 teaspoon salt (may be omitted)

1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 cup extra light olive oil

Put all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a small bowl. Combine ingredients with a small whisk. Using the same whisk and stirring constantly, slowly add olive oil. Pour into cruet or jelly jar with a lid. Shake well prior to using.

CANDIED WALNUTS

1/2 cup walnut pieces (or whole nuts)

1 teaspoon extra light olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Put walnuts in a measuring cup. Add the olive oil, honey, and stir well. Line a pie pan or toaster oven pan with non-stick aluminum foil. Pour nuts into pan and spread them out. Toast in a 325 degree oven for about 8 minutes. As soon as the honey starts to bubble watch the nuts carefully or they will burn. Remove from oven and cool.

ASSEMBLING THE SALAD

Pour the spinach leaves into a large salad bowl. Discard any brown leaves and remove any long stems. Scatter the Mandarin oranges over the spinach. Scatter the onion rings over the oranges. Pour salad dressing (you won't need it all) over the salad and toss. Garnish with candied walnuts. Makes 6-8 servings.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

Harriet Hodgson

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years. She is a member of the Association of Healh Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. A prolific writer, she is the author of 25 published books and hundreds of print and electronic articles.

Hodgson has written about parenting, recycling, sexual harassment, aging, Alzheimer's disease, caregiving, communication, nutrition, physical activity, weight management, anticipatory grief, and many other topics.

She started out as a teacher and earned a B.S. with honors from Wheelock College in Boston, MA. She went on to earn an M.A. in Art Education from the University of Minnesota and did additional graduate work. After spending a dozen years in the classroom Hodgson changed careers and turned to writing.

All of her writing comes from life experience. Hodgson has talked about her experienes on some 150 radio talk shows, including CBS Radio, Minnesota Public Radio, WCCO Radio and "Coping With Caregiving," an Internet-only radio program broadcast worldwide. In addition, she has appeared on dozens of television programs/stations including CNN.

Hodgson is a Past President of the Wing of the Aerospace Medical Association. A past president of the Minnesota Medical Association Alliance (MMAA), she represented MMAA members on the Minnesota Medical Association Health Care Reform Task Force. She is an active community volunteer and all of her volunteer efforts focus on health.

Hodgson is cited in "Something About the Author," "Who's Who of American Women," "Who's Who in America," "Who's Who in the World," "The Dictionary of International Biography," and "Contemporary Authors," published by Gale Research.

Hodgson lives in Rochester, Minnesota with her husband, C. John Hodgson. She enjoys learning, travel, antiques, singing, and spending time with her twin grandchildren.