HoneyCrisp Apple Salad with candied Nuts and feta

This salad is the perfect fall lunch. It has everything you need in a hearty yet healthy salad: sweet apples, a little spice from the nuts, salty feta, and a perfectly tangy vinaigrette. I have updated this recipe and made it even better than before. Adding maple syrup to the nuts and apple butter to the vinaigrette bumps up the fall flavors even more!

Ingredients


For the candied nuts:

  • 1/2 cup pecans

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Flaky sea salt

For the salad:

  • 6 cups mixed greens

  • 1 honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon apple butter

  • kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

For the nuts: Preheat the oven to 350° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the pecans, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup , cayenne, and cinnamon together on the baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the nuts are toasted. Sprinkle the nuts with sea salt and transfer to a bowl to cool.

For the vinaigrette: Add all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake to combine.

For the salad: In large salad bowl, add the mixed greens, apples, cooled nuts and feta. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss.