Fall Harvest Salad

I'll spare you the life story, it's just a salad... but it is worth noting that my husband will never reach for a salad (more of a meat & potatoes kind of guy) except for this one. He raves about this one. An uncommon veggie, sweet, crunchy & the homemade dressing just drives it all home. Alright, enjoy.

Ingredients; ** these numbers are estimates of what I used, it's a salad-add or take away as you please, you really can't mess this up**

1 Honeycrisp or pink lady apple

4-5 heaping handfuls of dark leafy greens mixture (I used a spring mix)

1/2 C. feta cheese crumbles

1/4 C. candied pecans

4-5 thin sliced brussels sprouts

Dressing ingredients; again, you can measure this out or dump as much or little of each ingredient as you please "whatever feels right" is my kitchen motto

1/2 C. Avocado oil or olive oil, whatever you have on hand

1/4 C. Dijon mustard

2 TBSP Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Garlic powder

1 tsp onion Powder

A ~pinch~ of Cayenne pepper

Candied Pecans; WARNING... you'll want to eat these by the handfuls.

Toss 1/4ish cup pecans into a pan with about 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Add in a tablespoon of sugar (I used coconut sugar but maple sugar or regular brown sugar work just fine too) and a dash of salt. Stir frequently on low-medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Once you see a bunch of little white bubbles that almost look like foam, cut the heat and transfer them onto a piece of parchment paper. Spread them out so they don't clump together & allow them to air dry at room temp for about 20 mins!

I sound like a broken record but for the last time, it's a salad there aren't a ton of rules but I do have a few things to note, especially if this is your contribution to your Friendsgiving meal this year & presentation matters at all.

-Brussels Sprouts; The concept of an uncooked brussels sprout was a weird one to me at first but trust me here. By not cooking them it actually makes them taste less like a brussels sprout. It's a "soft crunch" in this salad. Almost the meet-in-the-middle ingredient between the soft spinach & crunchy apple! Don't skip out on this ingredient. My best piece of advice is to slice them as thin as you possibly can so they're not overwhelming!

-Apple slices; same idea as the brussels...I LOVE slicing these as thin as possible instead of throwing them in as chunks. It's an easier bite & the look of it is way more aesthetically pleasing.

-Candied Pecans can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready for use. I actually recommend this so the caramelized coating has plenty of time to dry!

-Dressing; shake it all up in a jar together & pour over your salad just before eating!

Thanks for being here!

Most Sincerely, Carrie