Autumn Apple and Pomegranate Salad with Homemade Candied Walnuts

Salad!!! I love salad. And Autumn. Salad and Autumn. YES! This Autumn Apple and Pomegranate Salad with Homemade Candied Walnuts concoction consists of green and red sliced apples, crumbled bleu cheese, dried currants and cranberries, pomegranate seeds, freshly whisked up apple cider vinaigrette and 5 minute homemade candied walnuts. YUM right?

With very little prep, this salad gets thrown together in just 15 minutes! The walnuts only take 5 minutes in a skillet and couldn't be easier. basically, throw all the walnut ingredients in the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Let cool on some parchment paper and voila! Delicious homemade walnuts.

I was actually just going to buy some at the store but they're so easy to make AND if you make them yourself they don't have weird, unnecessary ingredients in them (did not need corn syrup, "natural flavors", or sesame seeds in my opinion). So why not?? Plus it sounds super snazzy when you say you made them yourself 🙂

The homemade vinaigrette is also ridiculously easy as well. Throw all the ingredients in a  bowl and whisk together. If you like it sweeter, add a smidge more sugar. Toss all the salad ingredients together, top with the walnuts and vinaigrette and DONE! A delicious side salad that's perfect for Autumn. If you want to serve this as a main dish, just throw some sliced chicken breast on top and you've got a well rounded meal.

Quick tip: Slicing open a pomegranate can be tricky. You don't want to cut through the ripe, jewel-like magenta seeds inside! Here's a quick video on how to to easily open up a pomegranate while keeping every seed in tact. Thank you Martha Stewart!

Now, with easy homemade walnuts, a quick vinaigrette and a simple toss of ingredients, you just HAVE to make this salad! Say hello to Autumn and enjoy!

Autumn Apple and Pomegranate Salad with Homemade Candied Walnuts

• Author: Aberdeen's Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 15 mins

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Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 6 cups baby greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
• 1 green apple, thinly sliced
• 1 red apple, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dried black currants
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate

For the Walnuts:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg

For the Vinaigrette

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dab of dijon mustard (1/8 of a teaspoon) - this helps keep the oil and vinegar emulsion together (if you don't like mustard, go ahead and skip this ingredient)

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Instructions

1. For the walnuts: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt butter and add walnuts, cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently to avoid the walnuts sticking together. Remove them to piece of parchment paper and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the ingredients for the salad together.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Pour over the salad and top with cooled candied walnuts.

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