Florida Arugula, Berry and Citrus Salad
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fresh From Florida. All opinions are 100% mine.
Absolutely wonderful!
Florida Arugula, Berry and Citrus Salad!
Guess what. You don’t have to wait until spring or summer to enjoy a fresh and amazingly tasty salad with real berries.
I know that it’s been a hard winter so far for many, so I want you to treat yourself to a little vacation. Sorry, no, I didn’t win a gazillion dollars to give my readers (wouldn’t that be brilliant!). I’m talking about going to your local grocer and checking out their fresh produce, look for FLORIDA on that label – the Fresh From Florida logo! Now get yourself some of that beautiful fruit and veg and go home to make the Florida Arugula, Berry and Citrus Salad salad.
Here’s the vacation bit: Just before serving, turn up the heat to a good 80°, get out your flip-flops, a beach towel and some Beach Boys music playing in the background, then sit down and enjoy a little taste of Florida spring (brought to you courtesy of Fresh From Florida produce).
My favorite department of any grocery store would have to be the produce section. I go gaga over fresh veg and especially ALL fruit. Some of the veg I’m always putting in my basket are: tomatoes, snap beans, broccoli, squash (HELLO squash – X) and an array of lettuce. By the way, they are all Fresh From Florida February produce! It’s a pretty tasty month, if you ask me.
Need some recipe inspiration for all of that gorgeous tasting veg and fruit, (like what you can make with Florida Strawberries), you can find the featured recipe and so many more on the Fresh From Florida website. Keep up with them by Liking Fresh From Florida on Facebook, as well as Following them everywhere at Fresh From Florida on Twitter.
Florida Arugula, Berry and Citrus Salad
Ingredients:
Arugula and Florida Berry Salad
- 16 ounces arugula, rinsed and drained
- 1 dozen Florida strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup Florida blueberries
- 2 oranges, peeled and segmented
- 8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon
- Olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
Candied Pecans
- 2 cups Florida pecans
- 3/4 cup natural Florida sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
Arugula and Florida Berry Salad
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add arugula, lemon juice and olive oil.
- Lightly toss the arugula to coat and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Serve on four chilled plates.
- Add an even amount of the dressed arugula to the center of each plate.
- Arrange an even amount of citrus, blueberries and strawberries in a decorative manner on each plate.
- Evenly distribute the crumbled goat cheese over the top of each salad.
- Garnish each salad with a few of the candied pecans.
- Serve salad chilled.
Candied Pecans
- Heat oven to 400° F.
- Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
- Once the baking sheet is cool, line it with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet, combine the sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons water.
- Simmer, swirling the pan occasionally (do not stir as it will crystallize the caramel), until the liquid is amber colored, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in the nuts, and then spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet, separating the nuts as much as possible.
- Let cool.
- Break up any large clusters before serving.
Stacey is a Southern girl with a taste for travel, thriving on the discovery of the world through food. After spending many years traveling and living overseas, she’s now back home in her beloved deep south enjoying life with her three little ones and loving the adventure. She’s a food stylist and food photographer, as well as, the creative behind Little Figgy Food, where she loves to inspire others to try new flavors and foodie techniques.
