Christmas Salad? Yes—it’s red, it’s green, and it’s delicious! Don’t let the holidays derail healthy eating. Instead, make this gorgeous salad the newest star of your holiday table. With a fool-proof formula of greens, pomegranate seeds, nuts, plant-based cheese, and homemade dressing, this festive dish will leave you feeling jolly all season long.
Festive Christmas Salad
Ingredients
Salad
10 ounces greens (your choice—kale, spinach, spring mix, or a combo of them all!)
1/2 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews—whichever you prefer!)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
4 ounces crumbled vegan cheese, if desired (would recommend Violife feta or Treeline Cracked Pepper Aged Nut Cheese)
Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts on an un-greased baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5-10 minutes (being careful not to burn), tossing once or twice, until toasted and fragrant. Remove from baking sheet and set aside. Alternatively, you could heat a stovetop pan over medium heat and toast the nuts until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
2. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together all dressing ingredients or shake all of the ingredients together in a tightly sealed mason jar.
3. Place your greens of choice and onion slices in a large serving bowl. Pour dressing over the top and toss to coat.* Sprinkle with toasted nuts, pomegranate seeds, and vegan cheese, if using. Toss lightly and serve.
*Note: If using kale, add dressing then let the salad rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. The flavors will meld and the kale will become tender. Since kale is heartier than spinach or spring mix, it can be dressed in advance without wilting.
If you want to keep it super clean and even healthier (can it get any healthier?), consider adding healing sliced fennel to this salad. The licorice flavor of the fennel compliments the other ingredients perfectly!
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Hey y’all! My name is LuAnn Parker and I am a graduate student in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Department of Nutrition at Georgia State University, on my way to becoming a Registered Dietitian. I am super excited about this opportunity to learn more about helping and educating others on improving their health through nutrition. I am especially interested in working with those affected by cancer, as I have experienced this in my own family. Jesus follower, wife to Greg, mama to 3 beautiful girls, plant-based lover of food! “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Benjamin Franklin
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