Winter Salad With Fruit & Poppy Seed Dressing

Carol Food

I love adding seasonal fruit to a green salad all year long. In the winter, the trick is to use fruits readily available at your local market. Make this easy winter salad in minutes for a bright, refreshing recipe full of sweet flavors and crunchy textures you’ll adore. It makes a satisfying appetizer or salad not only for the holidays but anytime in the coming months.

Start with fresh romaine or another salad green torn into bitesize pieces. Add chopped apples and pears with dried cranberries and nuts. Pears, just like apples, are nutrient powerhouses. They are one of the most fiber rich fruits containing 25% of the daily recommended fiber intake. Apples are known for their pectin fiber content, but pears have even more. Finish with crumbled blue cheese and cashews. Your salad is not only delicious but also provides nutrients. If you’d prefer another cheese, feel free to top with shredded Swiss cheese, mozzarella, or parmesan. Besides cashews, I do recommend pecan bits or almond slices.

Then we’ll tie it all together with a simple lemon-based dressing and drizzle it over the top. The end result is a recipe that’s bursting with flavor, texture, and plenty of nutrients.  

Easy Winter Salad With Fruit & Poppy Seed Dressing

Use organic when available. Serves 4 to 6 side salads

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Winter Salad With Fruit & Poppy Seed Dressing

Wonderful salad for the holiday seasons. Great to serve for dinner at home or to take to a family gathering during the holidays.
Course Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword green salad, salad, winter fruit, winter salad with fruit
Servings 5

Ingredients

Poppy Seed Dressing

  • 2 tsp honey
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp diced onion
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon-style prepared mustard
  • 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • black pepper to taste

Salad

  • 5 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup cashews or pecans
  • 1/2 apple peeled cored & diced
  • 1/2 pear peeled cored & sliced
  • 2 oz crumbled blue cheese, goat cheese, or shredded mozzarella
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Dressing

  • Place dressing ingredients in a mason jar
  • Secure lid on jar
  • Give a good shake several times to mix and emulsify the dressing

Salad

  • In a large bowl, toss together romaine lettuce, cheese, cashews, dried cranberries, apple, and pear just before serving
  • Drizzle just enough dressing over salad to lightly coat greens when tossed
  • Toss to coat
  • Serve immediately

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Carol

I was raised in Tennessee but have lived in Florida for many years. Love my small home in the Tampa Bay area and its developing garden. My decorating style is eclectic - some vintage, some cottage, all with a modern flair. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Spent many years in social services but am happily retired.

11 thoughts to “Winter Salad With Fruit & Poppy Seed Dressing”

    1. I’m busy packing and taking care of details for the move. We won’t talk about how bad my house looks though!

      Reply

  8. This sounds wonderful! I think the cashews make it perfect. Thank you for sharing this at the Will Blog for Comments #18 linkup. Hope to see more of your posts there next time as well. 🙂

    Reply

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