Faculty Wellness Demo: Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad

Patricia Orus-Deya, SAR Dietetics ’23

Makes 4-6 servings

Modified from crème de la crumb

Ingredients
6 cups salad greens ​(any kind – we love seasonal spinach, lettuce, and arugula mixes)
1 red apple
1 green apple
1 cup walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese ​(vegan: substitute 1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives or vegan feta)
1/3 cup dried cranberries ​or ​ roasted cranberry recipe

Dressing 
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey, agave, or maple syrup ​(more to taste)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste

Optional: ​ a dash of garlic powder, dried oregano, and dried basil

Roasted Cranberries ​
modified from foodal.com
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
2 tablespoons 100% orange or apple juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup ​(optional)
Zest of 1 orange ​(optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400F if making roasted cranberries.
2. Mix all roasted cranberry ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Pour cranberry mixture into a small baking dish to form a single layer.
4. Bake cranberries on the middle rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Drain excess liquid  into a separate container (save it!), and let the cranberries cool for at least 10 minutes.
5. Core and chop apples (either in thin slices or in 1” chunks).
6. Toss lettuce, apples, walnuts, feta, and cranberries together in a large bowl.
7. Whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss with salad immediately before serving.

What we liked:
– We liked that the recipe is easy to make and all the ingredients are fresh and seasonal.
– We liked that the salad had savory and sweet ingredients.
– We liked that the salad could be easily modified to be vegan.

Suggestions:
– If you live in a dorm you can buy prepackaged roasted cranberries in order to incorporate fruitiness to the salad.
– Make larger amounts and serve in gatherings as a side salad to a meal.
– If you want to add more protein to the salad add grilled chicken, boiled eggs, or tofu.

Nutritional value:
– Cranberry is a good source of nutrients and supports digestive health.
– Feta contains calcium which contributes to healthy teeth and bones.
– Walnuts are rich in omega-3’s and are rich in antioxidants.
– Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and provides antioxidants.
– The oranges can provide antioxidants and vitamin C.