Poppy Seed Citrus Salad

Drain off both cans of Mandarin oranges and reserve juice for dressing. Set oranges aside.

Make the dressing ahead of time by whisking together all the ingredients in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.

For the sugared almonds, in a medium saute pan, combine almonds and sugar. Cook on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent burning. You just want the sugar to melt and the almonds to be slightly toasted. Pour out onto a plate and let cool.

For the salad, Juice the lemon and pour into a medium bowl. Combine with water. Core and thinly slice apples into rings and then cut into quarters. Place apples in lemon water and let sit while you make the rest of the salad. This helps prevent the apples from browning.

Rinse your Romaine lettuce and tear into bite size pieces. In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, Romaine, orange segments, craisins and sugared almonds. Drain apples slices and add to the salad. Toss with chilled salad dressing and serve immediately.

Note: you can make this salad ahead of time, but just wait until ready to serve before tossing with dressing.