Harvest Apple Kale Salad

Joe says he rarely thought about adding fruit to salads until we started cooking together, and he likes to call me the master at salad-making in our house. Of course, now that there are only two of us at home, that title is...well...oh heck, I'll just take the compliment.

Apples, apple cider vinaigrette, and a touch of cinnamon pulls together great tastes of fall on a pretty plate. If you don't feel like arranging the salad on individual plates, just toss it in a big bowl with the dressing before serving.

The person that gets the salad bowl last gets all the delicious heavy bits that fall to the bottom of the bowl, like the nuts and cheese. No, go ahead, take all the greens you want. Pass me the bowl after you're done.

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette

3 tbsp apple cider
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad

1/3 cup walnut pieces
1 large Honeycrisp or Jonathan apple
4 oz. Swiss cheese
3 cups kale, collard greens, or spinach
3 cups mesclun lettuce mix

Directions

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and set it aside until ready to serve.

Heat a small frying pan at medium heat, then add the walnuts and toast them, shaking constantly, until they are golden and fragrant. Let them cool.

Core the apple and cut into thin slices. Cut the Swiss cheese into a small dice, about 1/4" square (you don't really have to measure this). Chop the kale or other greens, then mix with the lettuces. 

To assemble, put the greens on four plates, then arrange the apple slices in a pinwheel shape around the center. Sprinkle with the cheese and walnuts, then drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Serves 4.