Ingredients:

  • 5 oz fresh baby spinach
  • 2 large Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup toasted walnut halves
  • 0.33 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 0.25 small red onion, paper-thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp pure maple syrup
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Toast the walnuts. Place 0.5 cup walnut halves in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until they smell nutty and look golden.
  2. Emulsify the vinaigrette. Combine 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp syrup, and the salt and pepper in a jar.
  3. Vigorously shake the jar. Continue for 30 seconds until the liquid looks opaque and creamy.
  4. Prep the red onion. Slice 0.25 of a small onion into paper thin half moons.
  5. Slice the apples. Core and thinly slice 2 large apples.
  6. Layer the base. Place 5 oz baby spinach and the sliced onions into your large bowl.
  7. Incorporate the fruit and cheese. Add the apple slices and 0.33 cup crumbled feta cheese on top of the greens.
  8. Dress the salad. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top right before serving.
  9. Perform the toss. Use large spoons to gently lift and turn the ingredients until every leaf glistens slightly.
  10. Add the final crunch. Scatter the toasted walnuts over the top to keep them from getting soggy.