Black and Blue Spinach Salad

Color is the first thing this protocol seems to take off your plate, even when it does not have to leave in practice. Deep green next to two kinds of berries is proof that it is not true. Fifteen minutes, one dressing, and the plate looks like abundance instead of restriction, because that is what it actually is.

Folate and magnesium run low fast in a body working overtime against chronic inflammation, and spinach is a dependable way to build them back up. Blackberries and blueberries owe their deep color to anthocyanins, pigments researchers are studying for their own possible role in calming that same inflammatory load.

Toss it gently and serve it right away. Spinach wilts the minute it meets dressing, so let it be beautiful only once, at the table, while it still is.

Ingredients

Citrus vinaigrette:

• 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Salad:

• 4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
• 1 bulb endive, base trimmed, leaves separated and sliced crosswise into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup petite diced jicama, peeled
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 Tbsp sliced tigernuts (for AIP elimination phase; in Stage 2 reintroduction, chopped walnuts are traditional here)

Method

Make the dressing first. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt in a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk briskly until the dressing is emulsified and the honey is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Set aside.

Trim the base of the endive bulb and separate the leaves. Slice them crosswise into bite-size pieces; if the inner leaves are small and tender, leave them whole.

In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, endive, and jicama. Toss gently to distribute them evenly.

Add the blackberries and blueberries and fold them through with a light hand - you want the berries scattered throughout rather than crushed to the bottom of the bowl.

Scatter the sliced tigernuts over the top.

Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Taste, and add more dressing as needed. Serve immediately. Dressed spinach wilts quickly and does not hold for later.

*Adapted from Wendi's AIP Kitchen*