I love this Fresh Winter Salad so much. It's light and crisp. And, in my opinion, the goat cheese and the pipitas make it! I served this alongside the Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna for my girls dinner party. It was the perfect combo. I also can see this served alongside a nice, grilled piece of Spicy Lime Grilled Salmon. Yum!
For the salad mix:
5 ounces (about 5 cups) spring greens salad blend
1 large or 2 small Granny Smith apple(s)
⅓ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or chopped raw pecans
2 ounces chilled goat cheese, crumbled (about ⅓ cup)
For the Apple cider vinaigrette:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toast the pepitas: In a medium-sized skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises (if using pecans instead, warm them just until they are fragrant). Transfer the pepitas to a small bowl to cool.
Make the dressing: In a cup or jar, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and salt until well blended. Season to taste with pepper.
Just before serving, chop the apple into thin, bite-sized pieces. Place your greens in a large serving bowl. Top with sliced apple, dried cranberries and toasted pepitas. Use a fork to crumble the goat cheese over the salad.
Drizzle the salad with just enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves once tossed (you probably won’t need all of it). Gently toss to mix all of the ingredients and serve!
