By Jessie Lehail,
Special to The Post

Usually salad does not come to mind during the winter months.
But, in my stubborn mind — salads can cross-over and bridge the seasons between cold weather eats and a warm weather veggie fest.
This salad is one of my favourites. 
To make this salad open your fridge and rustle up some washed and dried spinach. You can use another type of lettuce with this salad. Pretty much any mellow type lettuce or baby kale will do. I just love spinach for its vibrancy. 
Sometimes I add a handful of cilantro to the greens. It adds another layer of freshness. Then because we are smack dab in the midst of citrus season, peel a few navel oranges. No navel oranges? Tangelos or pink grapefruits will do the trick. A handful of roasted chickpeas. The spiced chickpeas lend a cozy feeling to the salad, kind of like a warm blanket.
Next add a few super thin shavings of red onion (optional of course). Sometimes, I add a few pomegranate arils or big chunks of creamy goat cheese. This is truly when I want to make this more decadent or am extremely hungry.
Though I knew I wanted a salad with crunch, bright fruits and young spinach, I couldn’t put my finger on the right kind of dressing. After some tinkering, I came up with this dressing. It’s the true star of this salad. It includes turmeric, i.e. Indian Sunshine.
Golden and bright, you can’t help smile when you see it. Instant sunshine. As of late, turmeric is getting some well-deserved attention. I love it for all its amazing anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and detoxifying properties, just as much as I love the vibrant colour in dishes. 
  
Waiting For Spring Spinach Salad 

• 1 large bunch/bag Spinach (washed and dried) 
• Handful of Cilantro Leaves 
• 3 Oranges
• 1 cup of Roasted Chickpeas 
• ½ Red Onion, thinly sliced (optional) 
• Chunks of Goat Cheese (optional) 
• Pomegrante Arils (optional) 
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cut the very top and bottom off of the oranges. Carefully slice off the peel, removing the white pith while sparing as much flesh as possible. Cut into 1/2" thick slices. Or just chop up. Make it easy for yourself. Drizzle some dressing over the spinach, and turn with your fingers to coat. Spread spinach and cilantro on a large platter and tuck the oranges throughout. Finish with a final drizzle of dressing, a pinch of sea salt, and several twists fresh pepper. Scatter chickpeas, red onion, goat cheese, and pomegranate arils on top. 

Indian Sunshine Dressing 

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated or ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Pinch sea salt and black pepper

Combine dressing ingredients into a small jar and mix well until combined. Taste and adjust to your requirements.