Fall is in the air. And the fresh produce has changed. Here’s a salad that showcases some of the best stuff. It’s my Fall Harvest Salad.
The other day I had lunch with a sweet friend of mine. She offered to make lunch (and dessert!), and I offered to bring a side dish. I agonized over what to bring, and didn’t want to phone it in with a lame bag of lettuce. So, I took it as a challenge.
I opened up my fridge, looked at what I had veggie-wise, and thought about what I could make. It’s fall, and those flavors are what’s in season, so I had a lot of that laying around (or growing outside).
You’ve gotta start somewhere.
One of my favorite salads is the Waldorf salad. You know the one: apples, celery, nuts, chicken, grapes, and a LOT of mayo. I love those flavors, but I wasn’t keen on using a bunch of mayo (there IS a time and place for that – I’m a hug fan, frankly). I wanted something a little lighter. So, I started pulling things out. I didn’t want chicken (ok, so I didn’t HAVE chicken), and loved the idea of a pinch of spice in the dish.
Good and good for you.
I also wanted to pack this bad boy with as many nutrients as I could. I mean, afterall, if you’re going to eat something delicious, why not make it good for you at the same time? Right?
Let’s face it, less cleaning in the kitchen the gateway to happiness. Or something.
I also wanted to be able to eat soup, and not switch utensils when eating this salad. So this is made for a spoon. So we didn’t have to clean one.more.utensil that was necessary. I’m lazy, what can I say?
So, I brought the salad, and we had some glorious creamy potato soup of awesome, this salad, topped off with a gluten-free version of cinnamon apple pull-apart bread. It was divine. And, after some discussion, and staring out at her backyard in full autumn glory, my friend Barbara suggested I call this salad “Fall Harvest Salad”. Done.
Thanks Barbara. 
- 1 roasted delicata squash
- 2 handfuls of chopped kale
- 2 small handfuls dried cranberries
- 1 handful pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 handful pecans or walnuts
- 1 apple, cored and chopped
- 2 cups cooked millet
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons curry
- Juice of half an orange
- Walnut oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Put everything, except walnut oil, into a large bowl.
- Toss to mix thoroughly.
- Drizzle with walnut oil, mix again.
- Taste, add more oil if needed, and season to taste with salt and pepper
Kale = spinach or romaine lettuce
Pecans = walnuts or hazelnuts
Apple = firm pear (like a Bosc)
Pumpkin seeds = sunflower seeds
Walnut oil = macadamia, hazelnut, or pumpkin seed oil (looking for flavor here)
Orange juice = lemon juice or scant ¼ cup apple cider and orange zest
This is also excellent for breakfast or an easy lunch to pack.
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(Psst... See something inappropriate or unhealthy? Please let me know.)
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