It’s starting to warm up here in Arizona. So lately, I have been craving cool and crisp salads. One of my favorite salads is from Essence Bakery in Phoenix, AZ. They make a delicious Cranberry Spinach salad that is perfection!! I can’t wait to visit soon!! However, Since I am limiting my outings to only a couple times a week, I wanted to recreate this salad. So, today I will be sharing how to make an Apple Spinach Cranberry Salad with a honey vinaigrette from scratch.
Another recipe from scratch…
Because my husband has food allergies, I’ve had to learn to make a few things from scratch. This includes salad dressings. Our favorite is an oil and vinegar blend that pairs well with pretty much any salad. I love that you can add any seasoning to it and it will completely transform the salad.
Versatility in making your own salad dressings…
Feeling something herby and savory, then add in some garlic and thyme. Want something sweet or tart, then add in honey or more vinegar! It only takes a few minutes to create your own salad dressing and I personally think it’s a littler healthier than store bought brands.
The key to this dressing is making sure the oil and vinegar are emulsified. I usually use a whisk or a blender. You want to make sure the oil and vinegar do no separate. But don’t worry if it does. Just give it a good stir before using.
Onto the salad…
The salad I have been loving lately is an apple spinach cranberry salad. It has cool jicama, and crunchy pecans and celery. I love the tartness of the feta cheese and the sweetness of the dressing. It all kind of works together. The only thing it’s missing is the homemade baguette that Essence Bakery serves with theirs!!
I usually only make enough dressing for one sitting, but you could make a large batch for the week and store in the refrigerator. And as I noted above, you can literally change up the flavors by adding in different seasoning. So, I encourage you to give it a try.
If you do make this, please send me a picture on Instagram or Facebook. I always love seeing your fancy creations. Also if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to my NEW Youtube channel.
Apple Spinach Cranberry Salad
Yields: 2 Servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 pinch of salt
4 large handfuls of spinach
1/2 honey crisp apple, sliced
1/4 Cup shredded jicama
1/4 cup celery, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans, whole or chopped
Directions:
- In a small bowl combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey and mix with whisk until emulsified and combined well. Add a pinch of salt.
- Assemble salad and pour dressing onto salad and toss until the dressing is evening distributed.
- Enjoy!
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I make a version of this salad and it’s one of my favorites! I can’t wait to try this one especially with the jicima and your salad dressing! Thank you for sharing your recipes as always!!! ❤️
It’s such a great salad and jicama really makes this salad the best!!! Enjoy!
I make all of my own salad dressing because store-bought always contains sugar and sugar defeats the purpose of eating a salad. I’d love to see more meat-free recipes that use indigenous corn, beans, and squash 🙂
I agree!! There is so many unnecessary ingredients in store-bought dressing! Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind!
Thank you for the recipes! I have allergies and this I can eat!
Yay!! That is great!! Allergies are such a pain, so happy to be a resource.