Herb, Vegetable or Spice?

I have really used a lot of fennel, since eating healthier, it's crunchy and I love crunchy when I am eating.  Fennel has a very, very mild licorice scent to it, like anise, but not really a strong flavor of it, just a hint.  Don't shy away from this wonderful herb, yes it is considered an herb as well as a vegetable and a spice.  The bulb is white, that's the part you eat, and the long stalks have frilly fronds on them, that are also edible.  I have used this "herb" in soup and salads and it adds wonderful flavor to both.  I like crunchy foods when I eat, not soft foods, it makes me feel like I am truly eating.  I have shared a recipe for this salad before, but this time changed it up a bit. It's a simple salad, because it does not need anything else to enhance it's flavor.  Enjoy!

I used fresh baby spinach, 1 fennel bulb, 1 peeled and trimmed navel orange, 1 Tbsp. orange juice, 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper.  I squeezed my orange juice from the rind and the trimmed pieces of orange.  Mix the juice, olive oil and salt and pepper together, set aside.

 Start building your salad, by layering the spinach.  Cut the bulb at the base of the stalk of the fennel, reserve some of the fronds, cut the bulb in half, then cut out the core.  Thinly slice the fennel bulb and layer on top of the spinach.

 Slice down the orange, layer on top of the fennel, chop up the fronds layer on top of the orange, drizzle on the dressing.  Beautiful, elegant looking salad for you or your guests.