Fall is firmly upon us and that means all kinds of winterizing, prep for fall and winter holidays, and other busy schedule items on our to do lists. Save yourself a dinnertime headache by letting pork or chicken leftovers star in a fresh and fall-inspired salad that will get dinner on the table in just a few minutes.
As is often the case with salads, this one is highly tweakable. Everything from the kinds of greens used (kale, anyone?) to the fruit (maybe some dried cranberries?) is up for grabs. I included a handful of sliced cherry tomatoes because my garden had a few more to offer - skip them if yours doesn't. And hey, if you are craving a bit of sliced steak and have that on hand, give it a whirl. The timing and look of your salad might shift, but making it yours is a lot of what this site is all about!
A savory pumpkin muffin or some warm breadsticks might be a lovely accompaniment to this main dish salad, but so would a tall glass of chilled cider - regular or hard - and that would keep things even simpler. And simple and flexible are definitely what this salad are all about.
Autumn Harvest Salad with Maple-Mustard Dressing
- 12 oz. mixed greens - I used a combination of butter lettuce, arugula, and thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 honeycrisp apple, cored and chopped
- 1 bartlettt pear, cored and sliced into thin wedges
- 4 oz. mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
- 8 oz. cooked pork or chicken, sliced into small pieces
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
Arrange the greens in a large serving bowl. Add the fruit, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. Arrange the pork or chicken over the top.
Add the olive oil, mustard, maple syrup, and vinegar in a resealable bottle or small jar. Shake vigorously to combine. Drizzle the dressing generously over the top of the salad before serving. Refrigerate any leftover dressing and enjoy on other salads or as a sauce for chicken or pork.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes