A return to salads this week! Spinach is back and fall is the ripe time for persimmons. They are around for such a short time so take advantage of this delicious fruit with this yummy and very colorful salad.
Salad Ingredients:
*1 - 6 ounce bag baby spinach
*3 medium Fuyu persimmons, cored and cut into slices or cubes
*1/4-1/2 cup roasted pecans
*1/4 cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries if you can't find the cherries)
Dressing Ingredients:
(this dressing is easy to make but if you really don't have time any citrus flavored store bought one will work too)
*2 Tbs. Seasoned rice vinegar
*3 Tbs. Olive oil
*3 Tbs. Orange juice
*1/2 tsp. Salt
Directions:
Mix dressing ingredients well. Toss salad ingredients with dressing just before serving. It's as easy as that!
Fuyu persimmons are the squatty looking ones. They are best when they are reddish orange and firm to the touch. The Hachiya persimmons are sort shaped like a cone and can't be eaten until they are extremely soft, so they are not ideal for this recipe. They're good for smoothies and for baking. The Hachiya persimmons need to be totally soft before eating because they are highly astringent and will make your mouth pucker. Not a pretty mouth feel or sight!
Persimmons are a great source of fiber, vitamin A (as beta-carotene, ergo the beautiful orange color), and give us a decent amount of potassium, vitamin C and vitamin E. So if your kids pick out the persimmons and don't eat the spinach you can still feel good about them getting some good nutrition.
Enjoy and as always have a fruit and veggie filled day
