Winter Chopped Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato and Blood Orange Vinaigrette.
This is what you do when you’re in search of a winter blues perk up that does not include tequila.
Not that tequila won’t work, but on a Monday at noon it miiiiight not be the best idea.
Or it definitely will be the best idea and just isn’t feasible.
Worst problem ever.
Let’s solve it!
Because I need some major color in my life.
It’s no secret that I’m sort of existing on chocolate chip cookies with some smoothies thrown in and then some pizza and maybe a few loose spinach leaves. And then stale gummy bears and coconut water and apples with peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies again. In order to actually eat salads, they need to be downright gorgeous and FUN.
Yes… fun.
I can barely take how much I adore this salad. Yes, the color alone sells me – I mean, it’s probably as close to a neon salad that we are going to get. At least a neon salad that doesn’t kill us.
But there are so many components that make this THEE salad for me. First, it’s chopped. If I could eat all salads chopped for the rest of my life, I’d be good. Well, except for the occasional grilled romaine caesar.
The sweet potato adds enough OOMPH for me to consider this is a meal which is, in itself, huge. The blood oranges are super pretty and of course delicious, even if they cost more than the shoes I bought last week. The pomegranate gives me crunch and texture and POP.
And my must have for chopped salads: crumbly cheese. I often choose feta because of the wonderful tang, but goat or gorgonzola would work too. Since it’s all crumbled, you actually get bites of cheese in pretty much every forkful. It’s like a snowstorm on your salad.
Nothing better.
Can’t forget the blood orange vinaigrette – because it’s sweet but savory and perfect. And pretty! Look at that pink.
If only all foods were pink.
Like broccoli. If broccoli could be pink? My life would be so much easier.
Winter Chopped Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato and Blood Orange Vinaigrette
Ingredients
roasted sweet potato
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed (size is totally up to you – how much do you want to eat?)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 cups baby romaine leaves or spring greens, chopped
- 2 blood oranges, segmented and chopped
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
blood orange vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup blood orange juice
- 1/4 cup golden balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, freshly grated or pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
roasted sweet potato
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potato cubes with the olive oil and maple syrup. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika, then toss the sweet potatoes with it. Roast for 15 minutes, flip and roast for 10 to 15 minutes more. Use the potato warm or cold – it’s your preference!
- Add the chopped greens to a large bowl and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Toss the greens with the potato, oranges, arils and feta. Top with the vinaigrette and serve.
blood orange vinaigrette
- Combine orange juice, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk together. Stream in the olive oil while constantly whisking until the dressing comes together. Store in the fridge for up to one week.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
P.S. you should prob pair this with a blood orange marg. P.P.S. I loathe when people shorten words like that too. #monday
80 Comments on “Winter Chopped Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato and Blood Orange Vinaigrette.”
YES to broccoli should be pink. Life WOULD be so much better then!
However, until that happens, this salad is GORGEOUS even without pink broccoli…and I am all over that vinaigrette! Pinned :)
I am completely obsessed with blood orange right now, so this may have to make an appearance in my life very soon! I just posted blood orange chicken wings this morning…I am trying to incorporate it in all my food. Haha. Maybe this salad with a side of wings is the way to go. All things in balance. All things blood orange.
This is sunshine on a plate. I could definitely eat this all day, everyday. Simple gorgeous, Jess!
Oh my gosh, sweet potatoes and blood oranges?! You are a genius, woman!! I’m 100% sold and am desperate for some colour in my life these days too!
Consider my winter blues cured with this…holy delicious!
I love pairing feta with fruits in my salads – the flavour contrast is so good!
Love everything about this salad!
Holy moly. That’ll brighten up any dreary, winter day!! My salads have become boring so this is a perfect solution. Gracias!
Blood oranges are so fun. The color always catches me by surprise when I first cut them open….even though I know it’s coming!
Hahaha pink broccoli!! I’d be down for that. Loooove this salad it’s so….perfect :)
As always, beautiful and delicious!!
So gorgeous! I absolutely love citrus on salads.
p.s. I totally wish broccoli could be pink too!
Massive yes for me! x
http://www.wild-cherrytree.com
So yummy!!!!
Oh this sounds absolutely heavenly! I’ll have to pick up a few ingredients this week and whip it up! I’ll link back letting you know how it turned out!
Last winter I was making salads with sweet potatoes and loved them! Got out of the habit….thanks for the reminder and your salad is gorgeous! And that vinaigrette, mmm!
You should totally buy and roast a purple cauliflower! Parts of it turn bright pink, and the purple is gorgeous too!
Anything with Feta works for me.
I’ve never had a blood orange! I think that needs to change soooon. Such a beautiful salad.
oh my gosh, this is totally my kind of salad!!
Roasted sweet potatoes are my favorite!! Can’t resist them!
Ok, this just went to the top of my menu for the week! So making this tomorrow!
Looks delicious! Pomegranates are getting harder and harder to find, but this is worth the search! I have been buying blood oranges like crazy lately. They are so yummy and make great additions to a salad. I can’t wait to give this a shot!
Wow, this all looks absolutely fantastic! I can’t remember the last time I got this excited about a salad recipe. The blood orange vinaigrette looks phenomenal – I’m looking forward to trying this!
Pretty! Pretty! Pretty! I’ve been seeing lots of blood oranges around lately…and I’ve been thinking about picking some up to make something fab…I think this salad fits the bill….and the vinaigrette? If nothing else, I’m making that!
The colors are stunning! Perfect to brighten a dreary day. Blood oranges will rescue anyone from the winter blues :-)
Giiiiiirl yeah.
Oh wow! Love the sweet potato idea. I hate eating a salad only to feel hungry three seconds later. You’re 100% right – the sweet potato makes it a meal. And it makes me happier to anticipate eating something with substance than just lettuce :) Yay!
WOW, that looks amazing!!
Oh this salad is so colorful and sounds delicious. Salads have to be extra good for me to eat them in the winter.
Tequila at noon is totally appropriate. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right?
These blood oranges are gorgeous. I saw them on sale a week ago at a local market. Super fresh and ready to be eaten!
How Sweet It is, is one of my favorite food blogs. The design, pictures and recipes are just really well done. Great Job!
I love the gorgeous bright colour!!
that plate + that salad = what is UP.
I just made this for dinner and it was DELISH! Now I’m obsessed with blood oranges, too. Aaaand, since I ate this delicious and healthy salad, I don’t feel guilty about the half pint of butter pecan ice cream I’m about to eat. Double win! ;)
Amazing looking salad :D And where did you get that gold fork?? I LOVE IT
As soon as I saw this, I knew we were going to have it for dinner on Sunday (a friend of ours comes over every Sunday night for dinner). Being the giving, caring people that we are, we sacrificed and had it tonight–you know, to test it out.
Now, I must admit to a few misgivings…was that too much feta? would I like the paprika on the sweet potatoes? what the hell is golden balsamic anyway? do I really want to segment oranges and de-seed pomegranates?
The salad is freaking delicious! De-lish-E-US!!! My husband and I killed the entire thing, adding chunks of grilled chicken breasts. Crazy good! Thank you!!!!
And, it’s a good thing we sacrificed and tried it ahead to time because now I know we’ll need at LEAST a double batch for Sunday!
I love sweet potatoes and somehow i have managed to never put them on a salad, I don’t know how that’s possible! I will have to try it!
-Jessica
http://www.wearitforless.com
Gosh, what a colorful salad! That’s exactly what I need in between soups. :)
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I feel you. Salads are only exciting if you make them that way and this one is def exciting. I think the only thing that would make this even more beautiful is pink broccoli…
That’s the prettiest little salad…ever!
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you inspired me to make a winter citrus salad with similar flavors; it was fabulous! thank you :)
http://hauteandheirloom.blogspot.com/2015/02/mixed-citrus-salad-with-thinly-shaved.html
XOXO,
Juiiana
that is SO beautiful!!
I rarely comment…but I LOVED this salad! It is that good! The sweet potatoes totally make it, and the blood orange dressing gives it a unique flavor. We’ll be making this again and again!
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I love sweet potatoes and I love salads. Can’t wait to try this recipe at some point this week!!
My favorite is when it is just freshly made…then it’s not too cold and extra creamy.