Chopped Harvest Salad {A Recipe}

I am always amazed by the splendor of fall; brilliant reds, oranges, yellows and browns litter the landscape like a dazzling tapestry. It’s almost as if God designed this overwhelming beauty to carry us through the stark days of winter ahead. And while the changing leaves are stunning indeed, the bounty of a fall harvest is just as beautiful: bright orange-fleshed pumpkins and butternut squash, brilliant green brussel sprouts, the saturated red of cranberries and pomegranates, the dappled skins of apples. Was there ever a more beautiful table than a harvest table?

Inspired by the colorful bounty of fall, I created this Chopped Harvest Salad as a simple, quick way to highlight the fresh flavors of the season. I’ve since had it four times in the past week. It really is that good! And the fact that I can throw it together in a matter of minutes only makes it that much better. It’s also quite nutrient dense, complete with a fair amount of healthy fat.

The salad is filling enough to stand on its own as a meal, but you could add chicken if you desired something a bit heartier. As salads go, you can choose proportions of each ingredient that suit you best; I prefer a rather equal amount of ingredients. One note about the lettuce: I use romaine, because the components of the salad need a sturdy base. You could substitute red or green leaf, but I really prefer the crunch romaine lends. Also, be sure to chop your lettuce leaves (don’t skip this step)! Chop all the ingredients to uniform size, and then toss everything together so you get all the flavors in one forkful! Enjoy!

Chopped Harvest Salad
Makes enough for 1 large salad or two side salads

4 or 5 romaine leaves, chopped
1 apple, cored and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced (not shown above)
3 or 4 brussel sprouts, chopped
1 small handful dried cranberries
2 tablespoons pepitas
1 small handful chopped walnuts
Blue cheese, crumbled

Toss all ingredients into a bowl and combine. Transfer to a plate, top with blue cheese and a sprinkle of salt to taste. Drizzle the Harvest Vinaigrette atop the salad.

Harvest Vinaigrette

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I prefer Bragg’s)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. The vinaigrette will keep for a week in the fridge. If your olive oil hardens when refrigerated (unadulterated oil should harden when cold), just remove the dressing 15 minutes before you want to use it so the oil can liquefy.

Let me know what you think! And if you enjoy the salad, please share it with a friend who may enjoy it as well. Thank you, dear friends!