Honeycrisp Apple and Fennel Salad with Smoked Pepper Jack Cheese
6
servings30
minutesWe combined fresh fall fruits and vegetables to create a sweet, crunchy and slightly spicy salad that would be a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. Serve with our Thyme Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- Salad
One 5 ounce container of mixed greens
2 honeycrisp apples cut into cubes
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 cup of pecans halved (we use Trader Joe’s Roasted & Salted Pecan Halves)
1 cup of dried cherries (we used trader joe’s dried dark sweet cherries)
1 cup of smoked pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced into match sticks* (we used Wegman’s Carr Valley Smoked Pepper Jack Cheese)
- Thyme Vinaigrette
1/3 cup of champagne vinegar (we used Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar)
2 tsp. of dijon mustard
1 tsp. of honey
1 Tbsp. of fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. of kosher salt
1/4 tsp. of fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup of olive oil
Directions
- Salad
- Place mixed greens on the bottom of serving platter. Add remaining ingredients on top.
- Drizzle salad lightly with dressing (serve remaining dressing on the side).
- Vinaigrette
- Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar. close the lid tightly and shake well to combine.
Tips and nutritional value
- 1. * Plain pepper jack cheese will also work.
- 2. Fennel is an underrated veggie that is in season in the fall. It has a mild licorice flavor and can be eaten raw, sauted, and roasted. When raw it has a crunchy and crisp texture. As it cooks, it caramelizes and becomes sweet and tender.
- 3. Fennel is a good source of vitamin C and other minerals vital to bone health, such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. (sourse:healthline)
- 4. Apples are a good source of fiber, antioxidants and polyphenols. Studies found that apples help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Just keep the skins on!
