Chilled Orange and Avocado Salad

I love this salad!  It's cool and citrusy, and goes really well with all the grilled meats.  The oranges scream springtime and the red wine vinegar/honey combination in the dressing is both bracing and sweet at the same time.  Paired with the salty cheese and creaminess of the avocados, you've got all your senses covered.  Don't you wish this was taste-a-vision?? :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

Serves 2

(I like to serve this salad with a grilled pork tenderloin.  If you'd like to do that, too, the recipe appears below for you). 

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces.  Keep cool in the refrigerator until ready to make the salad
Pecorino-Romano cheese
1 Haas avocado, peeled and sliced in chunks
2 oranges-- 1 1/2 peeled and sliced into circles, the other half squeezed for juice
red onion, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons honey
red wine vinegar
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt/cracked pepper


Make your dressing:

whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper.  Squeeze the juice of half an orange into the dressing.  Whisk again.

Place lettuce in bowl.  Add oranges, avocado, and a few red onion slices on top--toss.
Use as much dressing as you want on the salad, toss again.  Shave cheese on top with a vegetable peeler.  Sprinkle cracked pepper over all.  Serve

** If you'd like to serve this with a grilled pork tenderloin:
sprinkle tenderloin with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Grill to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, and let sit (covered) for approx. 5 min to continue cooking.
Note:  in 2011, the USDA lowered the safe cooking temperature for pork from a dry 160 to a very desirable 145 degrees with 3 minutes resting time.  It makes all the difference! So good!

To make a quick dipping sauce for the pork:
Mix some sour cream, Dijon mustard, and chopped green onions.  Yummy Yummy Yummy

Now,  with some chilled white wine and an interesting companion, you have a delightful springtime meal AND a full-on lunch date.  Aaahhhh, that was my crafty plan all along...