Ex Boyfriend Balsamic Mandarin Orange Salad

This Ex Boyfriend Balsamic Mandarin Orange Salad may seem like an odd combo, but it works! The creamy balsamic dressing, sunflower seeds, gorgonzola cheese and mandarin oranges are the perfect combo of flavors. This is one of my all-time favorite salads because there is nothing boring about this recipe or the story behind it!

You must be thinking…what!?!?…Ex Boyfriend Balsamic Mandarin Orange Salad. What the heck does that mean. You know those recipes on Pinterest for I Want To Marry You Cookies, etc? The basic idea being that if you make those cookies they are so good that your boyfriend will propose instantaneously ???? well, this salad is not that. But, don’t worry it’s not the opposite either. Your boyfriend will not immediately break up with you if you make this salad.

This is a salad that I have been making since my early 20’s {ahem, cough, 15 years or so}. Back when I was known for itty-bitty bikinis, never skipping a party and my horrible choice in men. <— Don’t worry, I’m not known for any of those now. Although I wouldn’t mind being able to pull off wearing those bikinis again! lol

So yes, you guessed it. This salad has to do with my horrible choice in men back in my youth. This is one good thing that came from one of those ill-fated pairings. The ex boyfriend would make this salad to go with our dinners and I just loved the unique flavor combination.

So while the old photos are buried in the depths of my dark closet and the jewelry has been lying unused for years in my jewelry box, this Ex Boyfriend Balsamic Mandarin Orange Salad still makes an appearance every so often. But with age and experience I have made adjustments to make {better choices in men} and this salad even better! Good things can come from bad experiences . . . even if it’s as simple as a salad.

Like I said, this salad is a blend of gorgonzola cheese, sunflower seeds and mandarin oranges. You can use fresh or canned mandarin oranges depending on your time and preference. The dressing is an out of this world creamy balsamic. Add chicken to make this salad a meal!

So nobody is going to propose or break up with you because of this salad. They will devour it and ask you to make it again and again.

And if you two don’t work out, maybe they will be making it for years to come and calling it The Ex Girlfriend Salad!

More salads for your bowl…

Maple Pear & Goat Cheese Salad by Cookin’ Canuck
Grilled Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Winter Green Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette by FoodieCrush
Lemon Parmesan Arugula Salad by Kalyn’s Kitchen
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Orange Vinaigrette

Here are some items you may need for this recipe: (ad)

OXO Good Grips Little Salad Dressing Shaker
Cuisinart Salad Spinner

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Balsamic Mandarin Orange Salad

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This Ex Boyfriend Balsamic Mandarin Orange Salad may seem like an odd combo, but it works! The creamy balsamic dressing, sunflower seeds, gorgonzola cheese and mandarin oranges are the perfect combo of flavors. This is one of my all-time favorite salads because there is nothing boring about this recipe or the story behind it!

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Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream, (or plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
• Pinch Salt/Pepper

Salad

• 3 Heads of Romaine Lettuce, (washed, chopped & water removed)
• 11 ounce Can Mandarin Oranges - drained, (or 3-4 fresh mandarin oranges - peeled & segmented)
• 1/3 Cup Roasted Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese, (or sub with goat cheese)
• Salt/Pepper

Instructions

Dressing

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in dressing shaker or mason jar with lid. Shake 1-2 minutes or until all ingredients are fully combined.

Salad

1. Combine lettuce, oranges, sunflower seeds and gorgonzola. Toss salad with half of prepared dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with an extra drizzle of dressing to preferences.

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