Raspberry-Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts

Get ready to fall head over heels for this Raspberry-Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts. The base of this colorful salad is spinach, brimming with vitamin C. Then come the fiber-rich raspberries, while avocado delivers heart-healthy fats. Add in the crunch of walnuts—rich in omega-3s—and you’ve got a salad that’s a feast for your senses and your body. But this salad isn’t just for show—it’s endlessly versatile, too. Serve it as a light lunch or as a side dish for dinner. Want to turn it into a full-on main course? Top it with grilled chicken, seared salmon or cooked whole grains like quinoa or farro. Try it out with the tips and tricks below and it’ll quickly become your new favorite!

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• To suprȇme oranges, slice both ends off the orange. With your knife, remove and discard the peel and white pith. Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes, letting the juice fall into the bowl and setting the segments aside. Squeeze the juice into the bowl and discard the membrane.
• Navel oranges work well and are available year-round, but if citrus is in season, you can use Cara Cara or blood oranges too. 
• Toasting walnuts in a skillet is fast, easy and brings out their nutty flavor. Watch them carefully and stir them frequently. Once they are done toasting, transfer them from the hot skillet to a bowl or plate to prevent burning.

Nutrition Notes

• Spinach is a dark leafy green that’s packed with benefits. It’s high in fiber to help aid digestion and vitamin C to help support your immune system. Spinach may also help lower your risk of chronic diseases like cancer, as the leafy green contains compounds like chlorophyll, beta carotene and flavonoids, which have been shown to have anticancer properties. 
• Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce inflammation and support heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids can also help improve memory and cognitive health.
• Raspberries are high in fiber and low in calories, so they may help support healthy weight management. Eating foods high in fiber can help you feel full for longer periods of time. 
• The avocado in this salad is rich in fiber, which helps feed the good bacteria in your gut and improve overall gut health. Avocados are also rich in heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, magnesium and fiber that may lower the risk of heart disease.