Description
Crisp honeycrisp apples dance with candied pecans in this festive salad celebration. Maple vinaigrette and tangy blue cheese create a harmonious blend that delights winter gatherings and satisfies seasonal cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups (960 milliliters) mixed greens (spinach, arugula, or spring mix)
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
- ½ cup (75 grams) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (60 grams) candied pecans (or walnuts)
- ¼ cup (30 grams) crumbled feta or goat cheese
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Dijon mustard
Seasoning:
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Carefully slice Honeycrisp apples into delicate, uniform pieces, maintaining skin for vibrant color and texture. Extract core and seeds with precision.
- Delicately julienne red onion into wispy strands to prevent overwhelming the salad’s delicate flavor profile.
- Activate pecans’ rich essence by gently toasting them in a skillet over medium heat, allowing their aromatic qualities to emerge, approximately 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Select a spacious mixing vessel and artfully layer mixed greens as the foundational canvas for the salad.
- Gracefully distribute apple slices, ruby-like pomegranate seeds, and gossamer onion ribbons across the verdant greens.
- Elevate the salad’s textural complexity by scattering candied pecans and crumbling creamy goat cheese or feta across the surface.
- Craft a vibrant vinaigrette by whisking olive oil, tangy apple cider vinegar, golden honey, robust Dijon mustard, and a nuanced blend of salt and pepper in a compact container.
- Moments before presentation, cascade dressing over the salad and tenderly toss to ensure harmonious flavor distribution.
- Serve immediately to capture peak freshness, or allow flavors to gently meld if refrigerating for a brief interlude.
Notes
- Slice apples just before serving to prevent browning and maintain crisp texture.
- Toast pecans carefully, watching closely to avoid burning, which can create a bitter taste.
- Swap goat cheese with vegan alternatives like nutritional yeast or cashew cheese for dairy-free diets.
- Prepare dressing separately and store in refrigerator up to 3 days in advance for meal prep convenience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 10mg