Honey Mustard Champagne Vinaigrette & Cranberry Orange Salad
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I’m a sucker for a good seasonal salad. Tis the season to be holly jolly afterall!
I prefer my salads to include a range of sweet and savory toppings – and these festive mixed greens certainly fit that bill.
It’s a Holiday (Salad) Special!
Pick your favorite greens to dress up for the holidays. For this salad, I’m opting for a spring mix blend of greens including baby spinach and dark green lettuce. I’m not a huge fan of kale but if that floats your boat, then feel free to find a mix that suits your tastebuds!
The spring mix lends itself nicely as a base because it includes a tender blend of leaves are are younger and therefore sweeter and have a bit more texture. You can also swap in iceberg lettuce for a satifying crunch.
A Salad Dressed to Impress
The toppings to this salad play beautifully off of each other. Sweet fruity notes meet crunchy, savory flavors.
- pomegrante seeds – buy prepacked seeds for easy draining and separating
- feta cheese – savory flavor that help bind everything together into one bite
- dried cranberries – add chew and sweetness
- honey glazed cashews – for some crunch and savory notes
- mandarin oranges – pack a punch of sweet and sour and a burst of fruity flavor
- broccoli florets – bite sized florets soak up the best flavors
There’s a lot going on in this salad but it comes together in a beautiful symphony of flavorful notes!
Homemade Honey Mustard Champagne Vinaigrette
One of my favorite homemade salad dressings, this versatile dressing has plenty of twang to offset the sweet and savory notes of the salad it covers.
- olive oil – for the base, works as an emulsifier in the dressing
- champagne vinegar – crisp, vinegar notes cut through the sweet flavors and enhance them
- honey – for balance to the twang of vinegar
- garlic – adds spicy, earthy flavor
- stone ground mustard – the bitterness needed to bring everything together
Honey Mustard Champagne Vinaigrette & Cranberry Orange Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bag spring mix salad or your preferred salad mix
- 4 oz pomegranate seeds drained
- ¼ cup feta
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup honey glazed cashews
- ¼ cup mandrin oranges
- ½ cup broccoli florets
Instructions
- Add the ingredients for the dressing to a large mason jar and shake well to combine. Set aside at room temperature, shaking occasionally.
- In a large salad bowl, add the spring mix and top generously (to taste) with pomegranate seeds, feta, cashews, mandrin oranges, cranberries and broccoli. Toss gently with salad tossers.
- Serve the dressing on the side for individual's preferred amounts or pour over the salad and toss just prior to serving. Enjoy!
