Fall "No Chop" Tossed Salad With Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Yes, you heard that right, this salad requires NO chopping. It’s super easy to make and so delicious. You can also swap and substitute many of the ingredients depending on your tastes and what you have at home. I have made so many different version of this salad but thought it might be nice to share one that is really easy and quick to put together for nights when you don’t have much time to get dinner on the table.

I have so much nostalgia when it comes to this salad. When I was just dating my husband we went to a new restaurant just outside of Boston and it had a salad very similar to this one. It was baby spinach, gorgonzola, cranberries, candied pecans and delicious vinaigrette. It was the first ever trying a salad with those flavors and it was so good. I tried recreating this delicious salad at home and soon came up with so many different versions.

Swaps and Substitutions

There so many variations on this salad. You can swap the butter lettuce for either baby spinach or arugula. You can also add or swap out fruit. Chopped apples, pear and pomegranate seeds are delicious. You can do a different nut like walnuts or almonds or seeds like sunflower seeds or pepitas. For cheese, you can do crumbled goat cheese. The key, it so get that combination of sweet, salty and nutty. However, you want to make that happen is up to your preferences or maybe what you have hanging around your fridge or pantry. This recipe is specifically designed to be quick and easy to pull together on a busy night.

Fall "No Chop" Salad With Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Yield: 4

Author: Hope Recupero

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

An easy and tasty salad you can make in a pinch.

Ingredients

Salad

• A 5 oz. package of baby butter lettuce
• 1/2 cup of crumbled gorgonzola
• 1/3 cup of dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup of toasted pecans

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Salad

1. Put all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss.

Dressing

1. Pour all ingredients into a jar, cover and shake until blended.

Purple Antioxidant Smoothie

I really like this smoothie as a quick and easy breakfast or snack and it’s a great way to squeeze in some healthy nutrient dense fruits into your day. I opt for blueberries but strawberries make a nice substitution. I buy Sambazon brand frozen acai at my local Whole Foods but it can also be found at select Target stores, Walmart, Thrive Market (online) and Costco.

8-10 ounces of unsweetened non-dairy milk

1 packet of frozen unsweetened acai

1/3 of a banana

1 handful of blueberries

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add additional milk if the smoothie is too thick.

Curb Your Sugar Cravings With This Chocolate Almond Butter Smoothie Recipe

I’ve changed this recipe up a little bit from the original because I wanted to make it a little healthier without sacrificing the flavor. I switched out peanut butter for almond butter and added coconut oil for some good fats and a handful of spinach for a veggie boost. Personally, I do not taste the spinach but if this sounds completely repulsive to you, just omit it. Also keep in mind that the coconut oil is going to add on extra calories but this is a meal replacement and these good fats will help fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied. I use Standard Process Veg-E Complete Pro protein powder in chocolate (find Standard Process products in your area by clicking here). It has 15 grams of plant-based protein and only 4 grams of added sugar from evaporated coconut tree sap. It also has a nice rich chocolate taste which really kicks my sugar cravings in the butt. I use banana for added sweetness and to give a smooth and creamy texture. This is easily one of my favorite smoothie recipes. Enjoy!

8-10 ounces of unsweetened non-dairy milk of your choice

1 serving of chocolate protein powder (you can also use plain or vanilla and add a heaping tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder)

1-2 Tablespoons of almond butter

1 - 1.5 cups of baby spinach

1/3 of a banana

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil (optional)

2 Tablespoons of flaxseeds (optional)

1 cup of ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional milk if smoothie is too thick.

Grilled Cauliflower Salad Recipe

This is an easy and fun summer salad and one of my favorite ways to eat cauliflower. I love throwing the cauliflower on the grill to give it that smokey flavor, but you can also roast the it in the oven if you prefer an alternative cooking method. If you are going to grill, I highly recommend using a grill basket or pan for the cauliflower so you are not losing pieces through the grill grates. Click here to shop for one on Amazon. The recipe calls for fresh mint but fresh basil also works nicely. If you’re not a big fan of olives, try using capers or even chopped sun dried tomatoes to get that salty/briney flavor.

2 small to medium heads of cauliflower chopped

1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives sliced in half (I sometimes use a combination of kalamata and spanish olives if I have them on hand)

1/4 cup of red onion minced

2-3 Tablespoons of chopped mint

1 large clove of garlic crushed

Balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat grill. Chop cauliflower into bite-size, easy to cook pieces and toss with olive oil. Large chunky pieces will take longer to cook and you may risk burning them before they are tender. Grill cauliflower on medium to medium high heat (may depend on your grill) turning often to avoid burning but leaving long enough to get some caramelization (lightly browned). Grill (or roast) until fork tender and lightly browned. Add cooked cauliflower to a serving bowl and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add olives, red onion, mint and garlic and toss. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil to your taste. Season with salt and pepper. Can be served at room temperature. Refrigerate remaining salad (always better the next day!).