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Healthy Harvest Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Healthy Harvest Chopped Salad - featured image
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A vibrant fall salad featuring massaged kale, crisp apples, toasted walnuts, and tangy feta, all tied together with a homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large bunch curly kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 2 medium crisp apples (like Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and chopped into small cubes
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup apple cider (for reduction)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Pour 1/2 cup apple cider into a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half (10-15 minutes). Let cool completely.
  2. To the cooled reduced cider, whisk in apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
  3. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.
  4. Remove kale stems and chop leaves into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and massage with hands for 2 minutes to tenderize.
  5. Core and chop apples into small cubes. Dice red onion and chop parsley.
  6. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.
  7. Combine massaged kale, apples, red onion, parsley, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries in the large bowl.
  8. Just before serving, crumble feta cheese over the top.
  9. Drizzle about 3/4 of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat. Add more dressing if needed.
  10. Serve immediately.

Notes

Massaging the kale is crucial to break down tough fibers and improve texture. Store dressing separately if meal prepping to keep apples crisp. Toasting walnuts enhances flavor and prevents sogginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: healthy salad, fall recipe, kale salad, apple cider vinaigrette, chopped salad, meal prep, gluten-free, vegetarian

Find it online: https://mandydishes.com/healthy-harvest-chopped-salad-easy-fall-recipe/