A delicious healthy salad that is irresistible. Customize to your liking, but I prefer the combination of blue cheese crumbles with apple slices, dried cranberries, and pecans, mixed in a dijon mustard vinaigrette. You just have to try it! Also, be sure to always use organic ingridients as it will make a huge difference in the taste of this dish.
Heat water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a skillet over medium heat.
Stir until sugar and cinnamon are dissolved
Add pecans and toss until completely covered
Simmer for 5 minutes until sticky and then remove from heat.
Place candied pecans on parchment paper in a single layer and let cool. (Note: for any pecans you don't use, you can keep for up to 5-7 days).
Dressing
Whisk together rice vinegar, shallot, dijon mustard, and olive oil in a glass bowl.
Salad
Thinly slice apples to your preference.
Combine mixed greens, sliced apples, candied pecans, crumbled blue cheese, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
Drizzle salad with dressing, toss, and serve immediately.
Notes
Serving Size: This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings. For those looking to create a salad for 2 adults. We recommend to create the dressing and candied pecans as described above. For the salad itself, you can use half of the quantities listed. You can then keep the pecans and dressing in the refrigerator to create another salad later in the week.Healthier Version: For an even healthier version of this salad, skip the work of creating candied pecans and just use pecans, swap out mixed greens for spinach, and add chopped yellow or red onions.Other Tip: The important thing to follow in this recipe is the quantities listed for the salad ingredients. Add greens to your mixing bowl with all ingredients and toss. Add greens as needed to create a good balance between the cranberries, crumbled blue cheese, and pecans. Experiment with the balance to see what you like best. Refer to our photo for a good idea.