Spinach Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing

Toasted sesame seeds add wonderful flavour to this salad.

1 Tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds
6 cups (1.5 L) fresh spinach
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 125 mL) thinly sliced red onion
1 orange, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2 Tbsp (30 mL) seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) orange juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) water

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) and toast sesame seeds for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Meanwhile remove spinach stems and carefully wash and dry leaves. Tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in salad bowl with pepper, onion, and orange slices. Transfer sesame seeds to blender and grind. Add vinegar, orange juice, and water and blend to mix. Pour over salad and toss just before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.

source: "Leafy Winter Vegetables", alive #290, December 2006