This salad includes an abundance of fall flavors, from the Maple Pecan Crunch topping to the Cranberry Walnut and Meyer Lemon dressing. This recipe is adapted from Seasons Taproom.
Ingredients:
Maple Pecan Crunch:
1/3 cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped (spinach is great substitute!)
3 each thick slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 each apple, cored and sliced
1/2 cup bleu cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/8 cup Ella's Cranberry Walnut Balsamic
1/4 cup Ella's Meyer Lemon EVOO
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine pepitas, pecans, sunflower seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and toss to coat.
Scrape mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, place in the oven and bake until crisp, 10-12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Combine kale, bacon, cheese, apples, cranberries, and maple nut crunch in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil.
Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad right before serving.
Enjoy!