Simple Spinach Salad with Apples and Pecans Recipe
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 287kcal
This easy and flavorful salad is the perfect blend of crisp, juicy, tart apples, crunchy pecans, tender spinach, tangy dried cranberries, and creamy feta cheese. A zesty homemade poppy seed dressing seals the deal and enhances the flavor and texture of the salad.
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Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 6 ounces fresh baby spinach, if not already washed, rinse the leaves thoroughly and dry
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- 2 Granny Smith apples, medium, unpeeled and sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup roasted pecans
Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Place the rinsed and dried spinach leaves in a large bowl.
- Thinly slice the apples and add them to the spinach. Next, add the cranberries, crumbled feta, and roasted pecans.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a large jar and shake well.
- Before serving, top the salad with a bit of dressing and gently toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
You will have extra dressing. Simply cover, refrigerate, and use it on another salad.
To easily roast your pecans, place them in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate and microwave in one-minute increments until they are fragrant and lightly toasted. Start tasting them at the three-minute mark.
Whether you cut the stems off of the spinach leaves is purely a matter of personal preference. I usually do, but most folks don't.
Feel free to use a purchased poppy seed dressing if you are in a time crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 436mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 4125IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 2mg
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