Two Fall Salads You’ll Fall In Love With…

First and foremost, I want to welcome you to my new blog!!

I am so thrilled & honored to have you here and I look forward to providing you with new recipes & inspiration! If you have any questions or requests, please reach out to me. I would love to hear from you!

Now, onto those amazing salads…

Quinoa, Chickpea & Apple Salad

I make a huge batch of some sort of quinoa salad at the beginning of each week. By doing this, I am never caught without a healthy lunch.  I created this recipe this past weekend and it is a keeper! Typically, I stick with vegetables in the quinoa salads but the addition of fruit was refreshing and added a nice texture.

For the salad:

1 1/2 c. water or vegetable broth

1 c. quinoa

1/2 c. toasted nuts, chopped (walnuts or pecans)

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas

1 large, crisp, red apple, cored and chopped

3 green onions, sliced (green and white parts)

For Dressing:

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper

Rinse and drain quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil.  Add quinoa, bring back to a boil, then cover and turn heat to low.  Cook until water is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork and pour quinoa in a large mixing bowl.  Let cool, fluffing occasionally, until room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.  Taste and adjust any ingredients to achieve desired balance.  Set aside. Once quinoa has cooled, add in nuts, chickpeas, apple, and green onions.  Toss with dressing.  Serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator to let flavors develop.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, Apple Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette As seen on Good Day Maine!

I have made this salad at least twice a week since the weather has cooled down. It is so delicious & simple but best of all it is budget friendly! When you purchase produce in season you get the best price and the most nutrient packed food. Good for the wallet, and good for the waistline!

For potatoes:
2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

For Salad:
2 bunches Lacinato Kale (torn into bite sized pieces) or 6-8 cups baby kale
1 large apple, thinly sliced
1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans

For Dressing:
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper

Heat oven to 400° F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper on 2 baking sheets lined with foil. Roast, rotating the sheets and tossing the potatoes halfway through, until lightly browned and tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic and the olive oil with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the kale and rub together with clean hands to tenderize and coat the leaves. Add the apple, nuts, and sweet potatoes and toss to combine.

Do you have a favorite fall salad? Leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you!

photo credit: Many thanks to my dear friend Bobbi Dauphinee – not only for taking food pics but for enjoying the food with me after we were done shooting:)