Get ready for an AMAZING flavor combo with this Apple Salad with Cinnamon Pecans. Made with thin matchstick cut apples and red onion on a hearty bed of red leaf lettuce, topped off with crunchy salty and slightly sweet coconut amino baked cinnamon pecans!
A simple Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing ties the salad together with a salt and vinegar pop. Sweet, salty, sour…..and avocado oil for the fat WIN 🙂
The Coconut Amino Cinnamon Pecans are DEVINE with this salad! I love keeping a batch of them in my pantry all through the holiday season. Just the right amount of spice and salty sweet for a snack or salad topper anytime.
SECRET TO A PERFECT SALAD
Fat and salt. I don’t skimp on dressing, especially with Whole30/Paleo eating in mind. A big part of your fat on the plate will most likely come from the dressing. Salads taste amazing when the lettuce has a good coating of oil, mix and re toss every time you serve a portion of it and lightly salt the salad as well. The combo of a good amount of fat and salt will change your salad game forever.
THE STORY
On day 26 while on a Whole30 round, I was really wanting something sweet and I knew my guests would too. It’s one of those things, I don’t think it really matters what culture you are. Everybody expects some sweet concoction at the end of a meal or party, right?
A big part of the Whole30, we’re trying to break the habit of that sweet reward and starve the “sugar dragon” so…. I went with a salad on the sweeter side and the Apple Salad with Cinnamon Pecans has been a salad on the repeat for parties ever since!
Recipes to use for Apple Salad with Cinnamon Pecans;
Apple Salad with Cinnamon Pecans
Matchstick cut apples and red onion on a hearty bed of red leaf lettuce, topped off with crunchy salty and slightly sweet coconut amino baked cinnamon pecans!
Ingredients
- 1 Head Red Lettuce
- 1 Small Red Onion
- 1/2 C Shredded Carrot
- 1 Small Granny Smith Apple
- 1 Small Jazz, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady Apple
- 1 Small Lemon
- 1/2 C Coconut Amino Cinnamon Pecans Recipe Linked Above!
- 1/2 C Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe Linked Above!
Instructions
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Make the Pecans and the dressing- this will take about 15 minutes. Refrigerate the dressing and let the pecans cool while making the salad.
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Rinse all veggies and use a large salad bowl. Think chopped style salad for all ingredients, cut the lettuce in thin ribbons and chop a few times to make the pieces smaller and place it all in the bowl.
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Use a mandolin to cut the onion thinly and spread over the lettuce, add shredded carrot next.
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For the apple run it through the mandolin first, then cut the slices across to make thin matchsticks, peeling the apples isn't required. Squeeze lemon over the top to help keep them from turning color on the chopping board, then add them in.
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Chop the pecans and add them last right before serving. Pour the dressing on at the last minute all over and serve, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
If you'd like to make this into a dinner salad add on a grilled chicken breast, chopped steak or a filet of salmon!