Cranberry Pecan Salad

Cooking for a Crowd, Recipes, Worknight Dinners

salad-soon

Since the last, oh, thirty days have been about sugar, carbs and more carbs – oh, and cheese! We can’t forget cheese!I think it’s high time we talk about salad.

This salad isn’t chock-full of vegetables, it isn’t one of those salads with celery, cucumber and every water-packed vegetable under the sun that you think you’ll actually burn more calories chewing than you’ll ingest.

I realize those are the types of salads most people want to eat to maintain their weight after holiday indulgences, but if you’re young and on a budget – or not young and on a budget – there’s no sense in racing to the store when you have the fixings for a perfectly good salad in your fridge and pantry.


All you need to have on hand is some fresh mixed baby greens, fresh baby spinach and some high-quality balsamic vinegar.

Chances are you already have blue cheese because you made pears with brie cheese and prosciutto as a pre-Christmas dinner appetizer.

Your pantry is stocked with cranberries from the cranberry sconesย that you gave to your coworkers.

You have pecans from the addictive cinnamon spiced pecans that you haven’t stopped snacking on since December 1.

It’s quite simple, really.

Take the least of the evils from your holiday cooking and baking extravaganzas, toss them with greens, and you’ll be back on track – so you won’t even have to swear off everything delicious come January 1.

Cranberry Pecan Salad Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Worknight Dinners, Cooking for a Crowd
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-4 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 4 cups mixed greens
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup blue cheese
  • ¼ cup pecans
  • Balsamic vinegar, optional
Instructions
  1. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. If desired, drizzle with your favorite high-quality balsamic vinegar in lieu of dressing.
ย 

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30 Comments

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Susan
    January 5, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    This sounds delicious and just what I need right now! I’ve never tried using just balsamic on a salad but I’m going to try it.

  • Reply
    Island Vittles
    December 30, 2010 at 2:31 pm

    Such a pretty salad! And I love that you included blue cheese in a detox salad! I guess we should wean ourselves off slowly…Theresa ๐Ÿ˜‰

  • Reply
    fooddreamer
    December 29, 2010 at 9:08 pm

    Mmm, I love this sort of salad. I love dried fruit and nuts, they really add a great deal more texture and complexity. Great recipe!

  • Reply
    Lentil Breakdown
    December 29, 2010 at 1:52 pm

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’ve been making a salad like this for a few weeks with cranberries, apples, walnuts and feta on arugula or water cress. Not exactly low-cal, but so good!

  • Reply
    Tracy
    December 29, 2010 at 11:34 am

    Love this “detox salad!” I’d enjoy this even if I didn’t eat way too many sweets. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Reply
    Dawn Hutchins
    December 29, 2010 at 9:55 am

    This looks really delicious. This is more my kind of salad than a celery and cucumber one!

  • Reply
    Roz
    December 28, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Your photo and recipe make me want a salad…NOW!!! ๐Ÿ™‚ Hope your day is a good one.

  • Reply
    Tasha
    December 28, 2010 at 8:36 am

    I always adore a salad like this- but then, I suppose you could put blue cheese on just about anything, and I’d probably think it was wonderful. In any case, the salad is lovely and so is your blog. Thanks for the visit to mine.

  • Reply
    Reeni
    December 27, 2010 at 9:52 pm

    My body is craving a salad so bad right now! This is exactly what I need – such a delicious combo of flavors!

  • Reply
    Cookin' Canuck
    December 27, 2010 at 9:32 pm

    Detox is definitely needed here! This salad, with the much of sweet, salty, and crunchy, is right up my alley. I hope you had a great holiday, Maris!

  • Reply
    Sues
    December 27, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    This looks perfect!! And I love blue cheese in salads because just a little adds a ton of flavor!

  • Reply
    polwig
    December 27, 2010 at 10:52 am

    I love spicy/sweet nuts in the salads, so yummy plus the addition of blue cheese and sweet cranberries, yummy… Merry Christmas

  • Reply
    Kylie @ A Hungry Spoon
    December 27, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    I love this salad! I take a giant variation of it for my lunch every day to work: spinach, chopped apple, halved grapes, feta cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.
    And I couldn’t agree more–I’m definitely feeling the need for a little post-holiday salad detox time ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Reply
    Kylie @ A Hungry Spoon
    December 27, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    I love this salad! I take a giant variation of it for my lunch every day to work: spinach, chopped apple, halved grapes, feta cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.
    And I couldn’t agree more–I’m definitely feeling the need for a little post-holiday salad detox time ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Reply
    Ben
    December 27, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    I need to start eating more salads like this. I love the ingredients, simple and delicious.

  • Reply
    Shannon
    December 27, 2010 at 3:13 pm

    detox or not, this is one delicious salad ๐Ÿ™‚ and if you haven’t eaten all of those candied nuts, might as well throw those on!

  • Reply
    and flowers pick themselves
    December 27, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    looks delicious! hope you had a fab holiday!
    xo Alison

  • Reply
    Julie
    December 27, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Looks like a beautiful and delicious idea!

  • Reply
    Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
    December 27, 2010 at 9:43 am

    YUM! I could eat that for breakfast right now!

  • Reply
    Johanna GGG
    December 27, 2010 at 6:58 am

    Thanks for visiting my blog – I love your detox salad – feel like I need to eat a big bowl of it

  • Reply
    Sharlene
    December 26, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Simple and delicious. My kind of meal!

  • Reply
    Joanne
    December 26, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    My resolution for this year is to lose all of the weight I gained last year (going from marathon running to not running at all really takes its toll on your waistline!) and why not start with this salad! Looks delicious.

  • Reply
    Andrea@High/Low
    December 26, 2010 at 8:57 am

    I’m craving a salad right now and yours looks so good! Happy holidays Maris!!

  • Reply
    Ellisha Caplan
    December 26, 2010 at 8:44 am

    This is perfect! Thanks for the great idea!

  • Reply
    daryl
    December 26, 2010 at 8:25 am

    I have been on a salad kick lately and am going to make this one

  • Reply
    LimeCake
    December 26, 2010 at 8:05 am

    I could do with that salad right about now! It looks delicious! Happy holidays!

  • Reply
    Kulsum at JourneyKitchen
    December 26, 2010 at 7:31 am

    Hey there! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog ๐Ÿ™‚ and glad I found u !
    Love salads with nuts! To be precise I love everything going on in this salad.

  • Reply
    Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
    December 26, 2010 at 5:32 am

    I just made a version of this type of fruit, nut and cheese salad to take to Christmas dinner! I used a mix of salad greens, some dried cherries and golden raisins, feta cheese and topped it with pine nuts and dressed it with a balsamic vinaigrette. I love mixed salads like this.

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