You can expand your horizons if the cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours of autumn make you crave soups and pumpkin spice lattes. The fall is when many antioxidant-rich vegetables are at their peak of ripeness. This makes it the perfect time to load your plate up with all that nature offers. Making salad is one of the easiest and best ways to achieve this.
Salads are not just about tomatoes and greens. There are many variations to showcase the harvest of autumn. The medley of fall flavors might make you forget why salads are so good for you — mainly because they tend to be low in calories but rich in filling fiber, a nutrient an estimated 95 percent of Americans fail to get enough of, according to past research. In addition to adding more fiber to your plate, Farmer’s Almanac states that spinach is a hearty, cold-seasonal green. It contains more iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C than other cultivated greens. Combining pears, cranberries, and spinach is a delicious way to enjoy the fall season. The combo brings more than 7 grams of fiber to your plate, getting you about one-quarter of the way to your recommended daily goal, according to Mayo Clinic. The blue cheese will add a creaminess and tangy taste to the fruit, which will offset its sweetness. If you find blue cheese too spicy for your taste, try a milder cheese like goat cheese or Feta.
Ingredients
4 cups baby spinach
One medium pear thinly sliced with skin on
3 tbsp blue cheese crumbles
14 cups of walnut halves
1/4 cup dried cranberries without sugar
Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Crushed one small clove of garlic
Salt kosher, one pinch
Black pepper freshly ground to 1 pinch
Directions
1
Divide the spinach evenly between two plates. Add half of the pear slices to each dish, along with cheese, walnuts, and cranberries.
2
Combine olive oil, mustard, garlic, and salt in a small covered bowl. Mix well with a whisk or shake the jar vigorously. Before serving, pour the dressing on the salads.
