Cheddar Apple Walnut Salad

I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cabot Cheese and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Hello world! It has been a while! I last shared a recipe almost FOUR years ago, and I cant believe where the time has gone. When I last shared a recipe I was about six months pregnant with bebe #2, I was still feeling nauseous and lugging a heavy and highly active two year old around. I had just embarked on a new career teaching Pilates, and I was BONE tired. I know my limits, and keeping up with the blog no longer felt sustainable. This was such a tough decision, because I had poured so much of myself into this space over the years.

Fast forward to 2020 (How is YOUR year going?!). Our lives slowed down significantly, were were all home all of the time, and I found myself craving this creative outlet once more. Then the universe gave me the kick in the bum I needed. I was sent a case of cheddar from Cabot, and tasked to make a budget friendly family meal using their delicious cheddar as a key ingredient. Challenge accepted! Cabot believes that cutting back on food costs shouldn’t compromise flavour, and that totally resonates with me. A handful of simple ingredients can go such a long way in creating a healthy, affordable meal. I love this Cheddar Apple Walnut Salad for it’s mix of crisp and creamy texture, and sweet and tangy flavours.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 4 large handfuls of baby spinach (about 100g)
• 2 medium Gala apples
• 120g Cabot Vemont Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tsp maple syrup
• 3 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
• big pinch of salt and pepper

Method

• Mix dressing ingredients and set aside.
• Place spinach leaves in a large salad bowl, and pour about 1/2 of the dressing onto the leaves. Toss to combine.
• Cut the apples into small cubes, about 1/4 inch in size. Add apples to salad bowl with spinach leaves.
• Cut the cheese into the same size as the apples. Add the cheese to the salad bowl with the spinach leaves. If the cheese cubes stick together try to gently separate them.
• Add walnuts to the bowl and gently toss to combine. The heavier ingredients tend to crowd at the bottom of the bowl so try and layer the salad evenly. Add more dressing as desired.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes and Substitutions

• I love this with baby spinach, but Spring Mix works well too.
• Change your apples to a different variety, or try pears!
• Replace walnuts with pecans or toasted almonds