Juicy citrus is paired with creamy avocado, spicy arugula and toasted pine nuts to create this simple, show-stopping salad.
After a glorious week without winter boots and jackets during our San Francisco vacation, returning home to record low temperatures and below freezing wind chills was a bit brutal. To help ease the blow, I decided to transport our tastebuds back to California with this Avocado Citrus Salad with Arugula and Toasted Pine Nuts.
One of the many reasons I live to travel is the inspiration I bring back to the kitchen from the local foods and ingredients I discover throughout my trip. Case in point: my Aunt Sabrina has been telling me about Berkeley Bowl, a local grocery store, for years.
Literally, within moments of stepping foot inside the produce section, I immediately understood why. Let’s just say the produce sections in California are a far cry from what we have in West Michigan. I’ve never seen so many beautiful varieties of citrus fruits in my life.
Speaking of citrus, February is National Grapefruit Month which thrills me to no end. Not only is grapefruit sweet, juicy and naturally low calorie but it’s also packed with vitamins and nutrients. Whole fruit is my preferred source of juice because you get the fiber and other nutrients that typically go to waste with processed fruit juices.
For even more California sunshine, I added bright pummelos and minneola tangelos to this colorful salad. Just 1/4 of a pummelo gives you 100% of your daily Vitamin C requirement – music to this mom-of-toddler’s ears! To balance the spicy arugula I added creamy avocado and toasted pine nuts as a finishing touch.
Have you created any meals recently inspired from your travels? I’d love to hear your stories and recipes.
Your fork is waiting.
Avocado Citrus Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1 Sunkist pink grapefruit segmented
- 1 Sunkist minneola segmented
- 1 Sunkist pummelo segmented
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 juice of Sunkist lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions:
- Spread arugula out on a big platter and top with citrus segments, avocado slices and red onion slices.
- Drizzle platter with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then toss lightly before serving.
Evans
Looks so yummy and nutritious!!!! Will try it.
Liz DellaCroce
I hope you love it!
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness
I just bought a whole bunch of avocados and am looking to use them. This looks like the perfect solution!
Liz DellaCroce
YES!! Perfect for that!
Brian @ A Thought For Food
I think we’re finally settled into the 50s here… but when I was out in Louisiana, I just loved how we could sit outside and eat a leisurely lunch.
I’m often making a big salad like this and then loading it with grilled salmon or another protein. If only summer were here and we could eat this outside, right?
Liz DellaCroce
Ok your comment is literally making me drool!! I’m so over this never ending rainy April and ready for warm breezes!! Soon, right?
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
This salad looks so fresh and delicious! :) Love the creamy avo and tart citrus :)
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much Medha!!
Valerie
Mmmm! I love salads with citrus in them.
Liz DellaCroce
Me too Valerie!
Joanne
I want to travel to Cali on the citrus salad train! This sounds so good…exactly what I’m craving as it’s snowing cats and dogs outside!
Liz DellaCroce
Yes!! Choo Choo!! The citrus train is taking off!
Gaby
This salad is just too pretty! I love the bright citrus paired with peppery arugula and creamy avocado, delicious!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
What a luscious salad. It looks gorgeous, but more importantly I am taken with the flavors you put together. I had to pin this baby.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you love this salad!
Ann (The Fountain Avenue Kitchen)
Your gorgeous salad reminds me of my husband’s grandmother. This was her favorite salad, only she drenched hers in Thousand Island dressing: )
Liz DellaCroce
hahaha oh good old Thousand Island…
Priscilla - She's Cookin'
I love grapefruit in salads and it pairs so well with avocado. It’s also my fave cocktail addition :) Love everything about this, Liz :))
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much!!
Nicole - Coking for Keeps
You always have the best salads! Never boring!
Liz DellaCroce
You’re so sweet Nicole – Thank you!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm
OMG IN LOVE with this salad! The citrus with my FAVORITE- Arugula and toasted pine nuts, YUM!
Liz DellaCroce
All of the best flavors right?
peter @feedyoursoultoo
Wonderful salad and so fresh.
Liz DellaCroce
Thanks so much Peter!
Carla
I’m so over the ridiculous wind chill right now. Didn’t know it was grapefruit month! I’ve been eating more grapefruit lately for breakfast. Great way to start the day. I do get inspired by my travels. This past summer, I went to Mt. Rushmore then posted about my trip and a raspberry jalapeno jam that was inspired by pie we ate out there. I know totally random but it brings back memories!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh my goodness that pie sounds amazing Carla!!
Shawnna
Hey I’m willing to try this!! It sounds interesting!!
Liz DellaCroce
I hope you love it!
DessertForTwo
I love the Berkeley Bowl! I could spend hours in their bulk bins! And yes, oh the citrus! It grows wild out there, and I used to just pick oranges off my trees and squeeze into champagne on Sundays. Why did I ever move again?
Liz DellaCroce
I didn’t know you lived there!! So jealous!
sheila
Drooling! I love citrus on my salad in and in my vinaigrette! And the avocado pushes it over the top!!
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you my sweet friend!!
Elizabeth @ Pineapples and Polka Dots
Thanks for sharing this bright and summery recipe! We are buried in snow in the northeast, and summer salads are a welcomed change!
Liz DellaCroce
Tell me about it!! I need any brightness I can get!! :)
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
This is really beautiful and has me dreaming of summer!!
Liz DellaCroce
I am dreaming of summer too Liz!!!
Julia
Grapefruit is one of my absolute favorite fruits–the avocado is a great addition! I <3 citrus!
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much Julia!! Hope you’re staying warm!
Maryea {happy healthy mama}
I’ve been doing the same thing this winter. Bright salads for the win!
Liz DellaCroce
YES! We need fresh flavors!