recipes

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Crisp apples, toasty walnuts and creamy feta or blue cheese make this apple walnut salad ideal for holidays and parties. Simple and beautiful!

PREP:20minutes mins
COOK:8minutes mins
TOTAL:28minutes mins

SERVINGS: 6 servings

• 3/4 cup raw walnut halves
• 2 small apples or 1 large apple cored and thinly sliced (recommended: Honeycrisp)
• 4 ounces baby arugula about 4 tightly packed cups
• 3 Belgian endives* about 6 ounces
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
• 3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola** goat cheese, or feta (about a generous 1/2 cup)

• 1 small shallot very finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts into a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the nuts smell fragrant and toasty and they are crisp. Immediately transfer to a cutting board to cool. Roughly chop.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Add the apple and toss to coat.
• In a large serving bowl, place the arugula. Thinly cut the endive crosswise into very thin rounds (you'll have 3 cups or so). Add them to the bowl.
• Add half each of the cranberries, cheese, and walnuts.
• With a spoon, scoop the apple slices into the salad (some of the dressing and shallots will cling to the apples; some will be left behind in the bowl). Add a few more spoonfuls of the dressing to the salad to moisten it, then toss to coat. If the salad seems dry at this point, continue to spoon on small amounts of the dressing, tossing after each, until it’s moist but not sopping (it’s easy to overdress salad!).
• Sprinkle the remaining cranberries, cheese, and walnuts over the salad, then very lightly toss once more. Taste and add a bit of additional salt if desired (the amount you need will vary based on your cheese; with gorgonzola, our salad was just right). Enjoy immediately, with any remaining dressing on the side for serving as desired.

• *A bitter green like endive provides a delicious, bright, and welcome counterpoint to the sweet apples and is a classic pairing with arugula, especially if you are serving this as a part of a larger meal. Radicchio would be the closest swap. If you aren’t a fan of endive, you can swap it for spring mix, chopped romaine, or really any mixed lettuce you prefer.
• **A mild blue cheese such as gorgonzola is my favorite in this recipe (it’s so tasty with the walnuts and arugula!) but if that isn’t your thing, goat cheese is my second choice (still delish), and feta is a good option too.
• TO MAKE AHEAD: Prep all the ingredients up to 1 day in advance. Store the walnuts at room temperature. Refrigerate the rest of the salad and the dressing separately. Dress just before serving.
• TO STORE: This tastes best the day it is made, but I also enjoyed it leftover, adding some fresh greens and a drizzle of extra dressing to liven it back up. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
• If you know you’re going to have leftovers, only dress the part of the salad you plan to eat. Refrigerate the apples and dressing in a separate storage container from the salad ingredients. Dress just before serving.

SERVING: 1(of 6)CALORIES: 277kcalCARBOHYDRATES: 20gPROTEIN: 6gFAT: 21gSATURATED FAT: 5gCHOLESTEROL: 11mgPOTASSIUM: 305mgFIBER: 4gSUGAR: 13gVITAMIN A: 583IUVITAMIN C: 6mgCALCIUM: 131mgIRON: 1mg

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (1 pound) skinless salmon fillet, fresh or frozen
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
  

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. Combine mustard, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, honey, salt and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Combine panko, walnuts and oil in another small bowl.
   
3. Place salmon on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mustard mixture over the fish and sprinkle with the panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
   
4. Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness.
   
5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto.

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Prep Time:
20 mins

Additional Time:
10 mins

Total Time:
30 mins

Servings:
4

Yield:
8 cups

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• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• ½ teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ cups shredded or sliced cooked skinless chicken breast (8 oz.)
• 6 ounces whole-wheat penne or fusilli pasta (1 3/4 cups)
• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise (2 cups)
• 2 cups cauliflower florets (8 oz.)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
   
2. Place walnuts in a small bowl and microwave on High until fragrant and lightly toasted, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. (Alternatively, toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.) Transfer to a plate and let cool. Set 1/4 cup aside for topping.
   
3. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Process until the nuts are ground. With the motor running, gradually add oil through the feed tube. Add Parmesan and pulse until mixed in. Scrape the pesto into a large bowl. Add chicken.
   
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water for 4 minutes. Add green beans and cauliflower; cover and cook until the pasta is al dente (almost tender) and the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Before draining, scoop out 3/4 cup of the cooking water and stir it into the pesto-chicken mixture to warm it slightly. Drain the pasta and vegetables and add to the pesto-chicken mixture. Toss to coat well. Divide among 4 pasta bowls and top each serving with 1 Tbsp. of the reserved walnuts.