Spring Mix Salad with Pomegranate Honey Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette
I know, 95% of the recipes here are desserts. A salad just seems a little out-of-place, but you know I wouldn’t share just any salad here. This is the salad that I want to have for lunch everyday. Apples, dried cranberries, and feta cheese are sprinkled over a bed of fresh greens and drizzled with a homemade sweet and tangy vinaigrette. It is absolutely crave-worthy and was all inspired by a flavored balsamic vinegar!
Pomegranate Honey Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette
I love the sweet and tangy taste of a good balsamic vinegar, and use a lot of it. So, I was pretty excited when I saw some flavored balsamic vinegar while grocery shopping a few weeks ago at Wegmans. There were a few flavors to choose from & I was really torn between Pomegranate and Pear Balsamic Vinegar, but I ended up going home with the pomegranate.
Guys, this stuff is not cheap. At close to $8 for a 250 ml. bottle, this was a little bit of a splurge. There are definitely cheaper balsamic vinegars out there, but use the cheap stuff for marinades. Save this to transform simple salads into a seasonal delicacy.
The dressing is a standard Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe, and so easy to make. Pretty much any flavor of Balsamic vinegar would be good here (just not the cheap salty stuff). I used local honey, lemon flavored Seneca Sea Salt, Dijon mustard I had kicking around my fridge, and grape seed oil in my vinaigrette. You can totally use olive oil instead of the grape seed oil, it is simply a matter of personal taste. Grape seed oil has a more neutral flavor and is a little lighter than olive oil, which I happen to like.
Spring Mix Salad with Pomegranate Honey Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette
I admit when I bought my vinegar I had visions of a strawberry spinach salad, but I decided to go with something a little more seasonal, and added apples, and dried cranberries and a bagged mix of spring greens.
I used a Macoun apple for this salad, and it was wonderful! The Macoun apple was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva in 1932 by Richard Wellington, and is named for a famous Canadian fruit breeder W.T. Macoun. These are the perfect addition to any salad, they are extra-sweet and very juicy, if you have a hard time finding Macoun apples another great variety would be Fuji.
Spring Mix Salad with Pomegranate Honey Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Grape seed oil
- 2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad:
- 5 ounces Spring Mix (or your favorite greens)
- 1 macoun apple, cored and diced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
Vinaigrette:
- Add balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the grape seed oil while whisking. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Store in a mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Give the jar a vigorous shake before drizzling over your salad.
Salad:
- Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle with vinaigrette right before serving.
