Who says a winter salad has to be heavy?

For us Mid-Atlantic folks, this has been a strange winter, weatherwise. Overall, it has been much milder than usual. Then last week, we saw 70 degrees one day - and 30 the next.

That can do a number on you in the kitchen, or you can consider it liberating. I'm going to go with the latter, focusing on the welcome fact that my body craves much more variety than the soups, stews and casseroles typical at this time of year.

Even, say, a salad doesn't have to have "winter" written all over it, bulked up by grains and cheeses (as wonderful as those are), but can instead be on the lighter side, even in February. The trick, of course, is to go with produce that's at its peak - or at least not looking too sad.

I found a good one in "The Yoga Kitchen" by Kimberly Parsons. She has you roast fennel wedges, whose anise flavor then mellows into something wonderfully delicate and subtle. Also into the roasting pan go thin lemon slices, which add a spark of acid. My favorite touch: walnut halves that have been quickly candied with a little honey and turmeric, the latter bumping up the good-for-you quotient.

The green base here is baby spinach (or pea shoots if you can find them). Parsons doesn't call for a dressing per se, but I couldn't leave it out: I drizzled the salad with oil and sherry vinegar, and scattered on a little flaky salt. I want something light, but not that light.