This tangy sesame salad is healthy and full of flavor. The salad dressing is made with tangerines, olive oil, sesame oil, seeds and spices. You and your family will love this Asian inspired salad for lunch or dinner or as a side salad to your favorite meal.
Tangy Sesame Salad
Thanksgiving is officially over and after all the heavy foods and desserts, I’ve been craving salad! One of my new favorite things to do is blend up oils and spices to try to create new salad dressings. I had recently purchased some sesame oil for the potsticker soup and thought there might be some great sauces and dressings that I could make with it. Sure enough, the oil came in handy when making this tangy sesame salad. It proved to be an easy salad dish that packed a bunch of nutritional punch! Yay! Healthy Stuff = Better Energy
So what I’ve learned about salad dressings and making them at home? If you start with a base of a few oils and vinegars (or an acid of some sort), you can usually create a tasty and healthy salad dressing right on the spot. Mine usually take about 1-2 minutes to create and they always taste fresh and blended to our liking. Creating what tastes good to you and your family is a major plus when making your own salad dressing.
Here are some tips for making any homemade salad dressing as well as pointers for blending up the tangy sesame salad:
- Start with an oil you love! We use Trader Joe’s California Olive Oil. It is a rich olive oil that tastes great over salads and brings flavor to many of our favorite cooked meals, such as our homemade pesto.
- Add a dash of an acid or vinegar. Some of our favorites include balsamic vinegar, white wine, or lemon or orange juice.
- Add a fruit or veggie you enjoy. You can get creative and go on the sweet side and add raspberries or strawberries. Or chop up an apple or tangerine and add it in. Throw in a handful of raisins or cranberries. Or shred in a carrot or cucumber.
- Spice it up! Of course you’ll want to add a bit of salt and pepper. But why not try a dash of Dijon mustard? Or go for a sprinkle of Italian spices such as Oregano and Thyme. One of my favorite spices to add into my salad dressings is Dill. I’ll usually add a bit of garlic powder as well.
- Go for something crunchy! It’s nice to add a bit of texture to your salad. You don’t always have to opt for croutons. Why not try sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts or cashews. There are also many healthy energy crackers packed with seeds and flavors that can be crumbled up on top of your salad! We posted a yummy energy cracker recipe not too long ago!
Here’s the recipe for the tangy sesame salad:
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 2 Tbsp olive oil We use Trader Joe's California Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Lemon Pepper Or Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 Tangerines Peeled and split apart
- 1 Tbsp Sunflower seeds shelled
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds shelled
- 1 Tbsp Raisins
- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries
- 4-6 Healthy Energy Crackers Crumbled + More whole ones to serve with salad
- 1 Bag Arugula Salad Or your favorite greens
- 1/2 cup Shredded Cooked Chicken
Ingredients
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- Rinse the greens and set aside. In a separate bowl, add the Olive Oil, Sesame Oil, Salt, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Powder, and a squeeze of the tangerines. Use a fork to combine by whisking.
- This is a good time to taste the dressing to see if you need to add anything. Drizzle the tangy dressing on top of the salad. Add the shredded chicken and stir the salad, dressing and chicken together.
- Add the raisins, cranberries, tangerines, seeds, and crumbled crackers on top. Serve with whole crackers. Enjoy!
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