Aromatherapy Recipe – Spring and Summer Salad

For my first aromatherapy cooking session, I thought I would use a salad that I feel brings together the spring and summer. This is a blood orange, fennel and avocado salad. With the temperature and spring in full swing, this salad should embody the exciting time of transition between seasons. The salad is colorful, warm and carries lively flavors. I would recommend making this salad for any picnics or gatherings with friends who could use some encouragement if they’re impatiently waiting for summer to arrive.

Combining aromatherapy with cooking. (Photo credit: Pinterest)

4 cups shaved fennel from 3 bulbs

1 1/2 cups blood orange segments (6 oranges)

6 cups of young arugula

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 peeled and sliced avocados

Blood Orange Vinaigrette*

Toss the fennel, blood orange slices and arugula with your blood orange vinaigrette. Add salt and black pepper as needed.

Serve your salad immediately. When using aromatherapy in conjunction with my cooking, I like to go the extra mile and give it a nice presentation. Here is how I like to serve my salad to others: Fan out an avocado half to one side of the plate, dividing the salad evenly among plates, just barely overlapping the avocado slices. Dash with salt and pepper on top before serving.

*To make your vinaigrette, follow this recipe:

Salt to taste

1/4 cup fresh blood orange juice

1 teaspoon champagne vinegar

1/4 cup fruity olive oil

3/8 teaspoon blood orange essential oil

White pepper to taste

Use a mixing bowl to dissolve some salt (use your own tasting preference) in the blood orange juice along with the champagne vinegar. Add in the olive oil and blood orange essential oil as you whisk the juice and vinegar, adding salt and white pepper to your taste. If you end up with sweet blood orange juice, balance the flavor with more vinegar.