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Orange, Carrot and Goats Cheese Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Winter Orange Salad


I've enjoyed salads all Winter. Even though I was in soup mode, the salads weren't shelved like they usually are during the cold months.

This salad was zingy and fresh with a good variety of textures and flavours. Salad leaves, thinly sliced carrots, radishes and orange, topped with little balls of creamy goats cheese rolled in crushed pumpkin seeds, dressed with a fresh orange and honey dressing and finished with a scattering of pumpkin seeds.

It was salad for one, but very easy to scale up. I used juicy Navel oranges, but this would also be good with clementines.

Orange, Carrot and Goats Cheese Salad

This salad would be great to have as part of #jumpstart15.

Not heard of Jumpstart 2015 yet?

It's a food blogger health plan to kickstart the year. It's about increasing the fruit and vegetables in your diet, drinking lots of water and giving up alcohol, to give your body a fresh start. We are hoping for more energy and to lose a bit of weight, without doing anything faddy or counting calories.

Jumpstart 2015

  1. A freshly made smoothie or juice for breakfast and lunch
  2. Drink more water
  3. No alcohol  (this is optional, but I know most of my extra calories come from wine, so I’m adding this into my personal plan)
  4. Eat more soups
  5. Normal meal in the evening
  6. Chocolate craving? Have a square of dark chocolate




So how is it going for me?


I am on day four now. I've found it ok to do. I really thought I would struggle with the no alcohol. I'm in the habit of having a glass of wine with dinner in the evening and they are generous glasses, then you could add another couple of glasses at the weekend and sometimes a pint or two of cider if I went to the pub after work on a Saturday, which I do twice a month. And I wondered why the weight was piling on.

The smoothies have been great. I've whizzed enough smoothie in my Optimum 9400 every morning for us all. The green smoothies have been my favourite, but I forgot to put Cooper's in a metal bottle, so he couldn't see the colour. So those have come back in the evening untouched. Note to self, be more sneaky!

I've found the diet easier to follow on working days. I was off yesterday and ended up having a couple of brioche finger rolls at lunchtime then in the evening I had an After Eight Mint, which lead to four.

Even though yesterday didn't quite go to plan, I'm feeling really positive about the plan and the scales tell me I've lost 2lbs already, which is great.


Are you joining me to Jumpstart 2015?

print recipe
Orange, Carrot and Goats Cheese Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
Orange, Carrot and Goats Cheese Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
A wintry salad with a zingy orange and honey dressing.
Ingredients
  • 50g salad leaves
  • 1 carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 4 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp creamy goats cheese
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, crushed, plus extra for scattering
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • a drizzle of honey
  • a good grinding of black pepper
Instructions
1. Layer up the salad on a plate, salad leaves, carrot, then radish. 2. Take a tsp of goats cheese and roll it in the ball, then roll in the crushed pumpkin seeds. Make five and add to the salad. 3. Whisk up the oil, orange juice and honey to make the dressing. 4. Scatter some pumpkin seeds over the salad and drizzle on some dressing. 5. Enjoy!
Details
Total time:
Yield: Serves 1


Bloggers doing Jumpstart 2015:
  1. Extra Veg - Hosted this month by Utterly Scrummy Food
  2. No Croutons Required  - Hosted this month by Lisa's Kitchen
  3. Vegetable Palette - Hosted by Allotment 2 Kitchen

40 comments

  1. This looks lovely! Love the little balls of goat's cheese. I very rarely use radishes but I've been meaning to use them more and this looks like the perfect thing!

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    1. I rarely use them either Bea, but they were good in this salad. I must use them more.

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  2. Such a beautiful salad - you make veggie look so appealing! :D

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  3. I love salads with orange - wagamama do a great one with chicken and sesame seeds that I've made at home before. This looks great!

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  4. What a bright and vibrant salad in the middle of winter. Yes, I know how annoying it is if kids' snacks come back untouched after school. Grrrr. Good luck with the diet!

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    1. Thanks Michelle and yes Cooper came home with his apple today. Not a bite in it. That child!

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  5. That is surely a gorgeous and interesting salad. I have been craving salad, but it's so cold here it's more often soups and curries. Great submission to NCR.

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    1. Thanks Lisa. It's been cold here too, but I'm still enjoying salads.

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  6. I ate so much goats cheese over Christmas, I just love. I really like that you added seeds in to yours though.

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  7. Absolutely stunning salad Jac, and I love the look of those goats cheese balls - genius!
    Janie x

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    1. Thanks Janie, they were good. Mmmm. I am craving them now actually.

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  8. Looks lovely, I like the idea of goats cheese rolled in pumpkin seeds. Your kick start plan sounds great realistic and maintainable (well maybe minus the no alcohol bit) which is important.

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    1. I'm ok with the no alcohol so far, but not sure if it will get easier or harder as the month goes on. I do love a glass of wine.

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  9. I think that must be one of the most beautiful looking salads I've ever seen Jac - makes me want salad immediately.

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  10. So colourful! I love the cheese balls and can't get enough of pumpkin seeds right now so I'll definitely be trying this.

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    1. Oh yes the cheese balls coated in pumpkin seeds are good. I've been trying to think about what other dishes I could include them in. Yum!

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  11. One of the reasons I like 5:2 is because I can be a little self indulgent on other days. But, I wish I could be that strong!!!

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    1. I know it is good because of that and I know I shall probably go back on it, but for January I want to eat for fruit and veg, hot the alcohol on the head and drink more water. I could be doing better with the water intake to be honest.

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  12. Wow! What a vibrant looking salad! I'm pinning this. :-)

    Like you I'm a huge fan of salad's all year round. Yum!

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    1. Nice to meet another Scottish blogger (or one living in Scotland). Loving your blog!

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  13. Happy new year, and thanks for a lovely recipe :) I can make it vegan easily with home made cashew cultured cheese, which comes out tangy like goats cheese. I don't detox or diet any more, as I love both healthy foods and less healthy foods and feel like I get a sensible balance of both these days- also, since taking up long distance running I seem to burn everything off pretty much. What works for me is eat loads, excercise loads, repeat!

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    1. Happy New Year! I have been meaning to try cashew chees, I will have to see if you have published your recipe and yes you are right. I am lacking in exercise, but not for much longer as we are getting a dog next week.

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  14. that is so pretty - we have been enjoying salads while it was hot but I was back to quiche today (which was so good) - I suspect I enjoy salads more than E or Sylvia but we do have them quite a bit in summer - though in winter they don't appear so often - good on you for keeping them in your rotation at this time of year

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    1. Oh I could go a slice of quiche right now. You have me craving it *stomach rumbles*.

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  15. That looks like a lovely fresh salad.

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  16. This salad looks so pretty, especially with the balls of goats cheese on the top. Well done for losing the 2 pounds - I also find it harder to be disciplined when I'm off work - either I'm socialising or too near the fridge/ bread bin!

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    1. It definitely takes more restraint at home. So hard!

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  17. This salad looks stunning, all those colours and flavours together wouldn't make you feel like you are missing out. I will be giving this a go. Happy New Year Jac!

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  18. It looks so vibrant with the oranges and greens, going to try it for a work lunch if I can get organised to make it ahead!

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  19. This looks like a rainbow on a plate! Gorgeous. I absolutely love goats cheese and the idea of pairing with orange is totally singing to me!

    Eats x

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  20. That is a beautiful salad to bring some sunshine to a winter's day! I have pinned and stumbled to try later.

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  21. Your salad looks so simple, yummy and colouful, that's perfect for summer, so refreshing

    Best wishes,
    Alice

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I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x