Who doesn’t love Italian food? Pasta, pizza, lasagna, how can anyone resist these delicious dishes? But Italian food isn’t just about carbs and gooey cheese. Many recipes combine simple ingredients that are hardly altered from their original state, uncomplicated recipes from farm to table. Italy is not a very big country but offers many traditional meals that vary from one region to another based on the ingredients grown and harvested from those areas.
Sicily is the most southern part of the country, and this fresh salad is an excellent example of what this beautiful part of the country has to offer. Fresh, crisp, and very tasty, this fennel salad is not only nutritious but incredibly delicious!
The ingredients used in this recipe provide a good dose of nutrients your eyes can undoubtedly benefit from because we do not only eat with our eyes; our eyes gain from what we eat. This simple salad may help reduce the risk of cataracts and glaucoma. It is full of vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of hypertension and heart disease, which can have significant effects on your eyes.
We hope you enjoy this recipe because it is one of our favourites!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 3 to 4 oranges, you can use different types for increased flavour
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of pitted black olives, Kalamata are great because of their intensely bitter taste, but you can use your fav
- 1/3 cup of good quality olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Handful spinach, arugula or kale, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut two ends of the oranges. Place the cut edge on a cutting board, and with a sharp knife, peel the orange. You can then cut it into wedges. Keep it rustic, but be sure to remove all of the seeds.
- Using either a sharp knife or mandolin, slice the fennel bulbs as thinly as possible, discarding the core, then place in the bowl with the oranges.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and the handful of your chosen greens. The greens are optional but think about how much more nutrients your eyes will get with this added ingredient!
- Add the onions and olives to the bowl with the fennel, then dress the salad with the dressing and gently toss.
- Enjoy or Buon appetito!
