SPINACH, ORANGE, ALMOND, & FETA SALAD

Low Carb

SPINACH, ORANGE, ALMOND, & FETA CHEESE SALAD

Table of Contents: Salads

1 Roma tomato; cut in half lengthwise, then halved again or quartered again

2 small green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

1 navel orange, peeled & sectioned

1 bag small spinach leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. celery seed

½ tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Extra virgin olive oil

Red wine vinegar

2 to 3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese

Place the tomato wedges, green onions, and orange sections into a large bowl, then top with the spinach leaves.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper; then sprinkle the celery seeds and sesame seeds.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil (do not drown) and toss to coat all ingredients with the oil.  Then, very lightly sprinkle with red wine vinegar and toss again.  Add the crumbled Feta cheese last.

If you will note, the best tasting salads in good restaurants are lightly coated with a dressing and definitely not swimming in it!

A little history here on sesame seeds thanks to the whfoods.org website.

Assyrian legend has it that when the gods met to create the world, they drank wine made from sesame seeds.  They have been grown since pre-history in tropical regions, but are thought to have first originated in India and are mentioned in Hindu legends as symbols of immortality.   They also grow wild in Africa.  Sesame plants flower and produce pods containing the seeds.

Sesame seeds were one of the earliest crops grown for the oil it produced, but it was also used in early history as a condiment.  In ancient Egyptian tombs there are drawings of bread bakers adding the seeds to their dough.

The seeds were introduced in the late 1600’s to North America via Africa and are sometimes called “benne seeds”.  Today, India, China, and Mexico are the largest commercial producers.