Orange and Date Salad with Pistachios

I’ve seen this gorgeous salad before but when this pin came across my Pinterest feed, I decided to make orange and date salad with pistachios. We ate the salad as a light lunch, but it would be an excellent starter for a meal.

Dates are the fruit of the date palm and we’ve stuffed them, wrapped them in bacon and used them as a binder and sweetener. They’re available year round in most large grocery stores. The dates add a nice textural contrast to the oranges.

Nuts are an important part of any flexitarian eating plan. They’re full of good fats and contain a variety minerals like magnesium and trace elements like selenium. (Read more here.) They can be another source of protein for flexitarians. Nuts are nutrient and calorie dense, a nut eater can derive benefits from just a handful a day.

For orange and date salad, you could exchange the nuts for whatever you have on hand. You could also omit them altogether if you need to. The original recipe used almonds, but I had some pistachios. I love their greenish color.

If you have mint, use it, otherwise basil or parsley would be good substitutes. Some recipes call for ras al-hanout which is a Moroccan spice blend. You could substitute cinnamon or ground pepper if you like the contrast. Or you could omit it altogether. You may also see recipes calling for orange or rosewater. They are available in Middle Eastern markets but I used olive oil.

Orange and date salad is easy to prepare and has a big flavor. I hope you give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 orange per one or two people, depending upon the size
• 3 dates per person, pitted and cut into thin slices
• 2 basil leaves per person, sliced thinly
• 10 or so shelled pistachios per person, coarsely chopped
• olive oil for drizzling
• cinnamon for sprinkling, optional

Method:

1. Slice the top and bottom off the orange and stand it up so it’s stable on the cutting board
2. Use a sharp, thin bladed knife, like a boning or filet knife, to cut the peel and white pith away from the fruit.
3. Slice the orange into slices and arrange on a plate or platter. Repeat for the other oranges.
4. If prepping ahead, refrigerate the platter until ready to serve.
5. When ready to serve, scatter the dates, basil and pistachios on top of the oranges.
6. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon.