This hearty salad captures the classic taste of the holiday with fresh, whole ingredients. You’ll especially enjoy the dressing, which provides the tang and crispness of cranberry sauce without any refined sugars.
Ingredients
Makes Eight Side Servings
- 2 bunches kale, shredded, stems removed
- 2-3 apples, thinly sliced (tart apples like Granny Smiths do well here)
- 2 tsp. salt
- Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
- Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
- Zest and juice of one orange
- 1 tsp. honey (or more to taste)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
- Candied Pecans
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 egg white
- 1-1/2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Instructions
- Start by making the candied pecans: whisk egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Add pecans, maple syrup, and ginger and stir, making sure nuts are lightly coated with the egg mixture.
- Spread the nuts out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. You want the nuts to be crisp and aromatic, but be careful not to let them burn. (If you’re also making the pumpkin trifle below, reserve half the nuts for dessert. If not, store the remaining half of the nuts in a tightly-sealed jar, where they’ll stay fresh for up to a week.)
- Make the dressing: mix oils and set aside. Place all of the other ingredients in a powerful blender or food processor; blend to combine. While mixing, add the oils in a slow, steady stream until an emulsion is formed. (Be careful not to allow the blender to heat up too much, as this will break your oil emulsion.)
- Vigorously rub or mix the kale with salt and drizzles of olive oil; place in large bowl. Top with sliced apples, dressing, and half of the candied pecans.