Apple Walnut Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

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SALAD

4 cups spinach

2 cups arugula

1 apple (Honeycrisp or Gala), thinly sliced

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

¹⁄3 cup dried cherries, chopped

½ cup walnuts, chopped

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste




BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

¾ cup olive oil

¾ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper

2 to 4 Tbsp water, to thin







Prepare the salad: Place the spinach, arugula, apple slices and shallot in a large bowl or serving platter. Top with the dried cherries and walnuts. Finish with fresh cracked black pepper. Set aside.

 

Prepare the balsamic vinaigrette: Add all the dressing ingredients except the water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Add water to thin, if desired. The dressing makes about 2 cups. Store unused vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just before serving, drizzle the salad with ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette and toss.


Makes 4 to 6 servings.


Contributor: Tammy Cleek

Originator: Costco Connections

© ANGELA GARBOT PHOTOGRAPHY

 

Vicki Shanta Retelny

(victoriashantaretelny

.com) is a registered dietitian, freelance lifestyle nutrition writer, book author and Costco member.

by VICKI SHANTA RETELNY

Good medicine

An apple a day provides many benefits

Apples are one of the most popular fruits consumed in the U.S., and more than 100 apple varieties are grown nationwide. Whether as a crunchy snack or part of a meal, an apple a day is a nourishing habit that can help reduce your risk for chronic diseases, such as certain cancers, obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s The Nutrition Source.

 

Why are they such a good-for-you fruit? Apples are loaded with dietary fiber and are low in calories with about 4 grams of fiber and less than 100 calories in a medium, unpeeled apple—there’s a significant amount of fiber in the skin—which helps regulate appetite, body weight, blood sugar and cholesterol. Plus, apples are packed with numerous antioxidants that help to reduce inflammation and keep cells healthy.

 

The color and flavor landscape of apples has a wide range. From deep red to golden yellow to bright green with tart to sweet flavors, apples offer culinary versatility. They make tasty on-the-go snacks when eaten fresh out of hand or baked with a hint of brown sugar and cinnamon. Apples puréed into applesauce are a convenient prepackaged snack, too.

If you want to eat a whole apple, snack on slices with peanut butter or add diced apples into a salad, try Gala, Pink Lady or McIntosh varieties. The best baking apples for a pie, crisp or crumble are the Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Cortland and Braeburn varieties.

 

When purchasing apples, look for ones without brown, soft spots or broken, wrinkled skin. Once you get them home, store them away from other produce to minimize spoilage from the exchange of natural ethylene gas. Place them in the refrigerator produce drawer in a paper or plastic bag, or in a closed cabinet in your pantry.

 

Apples, a nutrient-dense, multipurpose fruit, offer numerous health benefits, as well as tasty culinary opportunities all year long.

Apple Walnut Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

SALAD

4 cups spinach

2 cups arugula

1 apple (Honeycrisp or Gala), thinly sliced

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

¹⁄3 cup dried cherries, chopped

½ cup walnuts, chopped

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

¾ cup olive oil

¾ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper

2 to 4 Tbsp water, to thin (optional)

Red apple with leaves on a white background

Prepare the salad: Place the spinach, arugula, apple slices and shallot in a large bowl or serving platter. Top with the dried cherries and walnuts. Finish with fresh cracked black pepper. Set aside.

 

Prepare the balsamic vinaigrette: Add all the dressing ingredients except the water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Add water to thin, if desired. The dressing makes about 2 cups. Store unused vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just before serving, drizzle the salad with ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette and toss.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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