Spinach Cranberry Salad
with Goat Cheese & Roasted Pecans with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

This dressing is one of the easiest, and most versatile things in my repertoire. I use it as everything for a dressing on the following salads, to a marinade for pork tenderloin. Assembled and stored in a mason jar, it comes together quickly and its incredibly well balanced flavors sing with notes of fall.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
  • ¼ tsp. Salt
  • ⅛ tsp. pepper

Directions

  • In a pint sized jar with a lid, add all ingredients and shake to combine. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, shake before serving.

 

Spinach Cranberry Salad with Goat Cheese & Roasted Pecans

Vegetarian (can be made vegan) and gluten free

This tart and tangy salad is one of my favorite things to throw together to serve alongside any autumn meal. The combination of flavors and textures is so perfect, even my kids will dig their little fingers into the bowl to steal prized cranberries and delightfully toast pecans out. Tossed with my Maple Mustard Vinaigrette it’s a simple and satisfying salad to serve all autumn long.

Note: while goat cheese isn’t my personal favorite, its creamy tanginess works very well in this salad. If you’re like me and also don’t care for chevre, you can substitute a creamy Israel feta, or omit it all together.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of chopped pecans
  • 4 oz. baby spinach
  • ½ Recipe of Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
  • ⅓ cup crumbled chevre or soft goat cheese
  • ¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries

Directions

Toast the pecans either in a dry pan over medium-low heat, or in a 400 degree oven or toaster oven, until they smell strongly of toasted nuts and reach a golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on them and shake vigorously so they don’t burn. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add the spinach and dressing and toss to coat. Add the cranberries, feta and nuts and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.