Cranberry Spinach Salad Recipe

Spinach: Fresh and vibrant, it serves as the base of the salad.

Dried cranberries: Adds a sweet and tart flavor to the salad.

Toasted sliced almonds: Provides a crunchy texture and nutty taste.

Red onion: Adds a sharp, tangy flavor to balance the sweetness.

Feta cheese: Crumbled for a creamy, salty contrast.

Olive oil: Forms the base of the dressing, adding richness.

Balsamic vinegar: Adds acidity and sweetness to the dressing.

Honey: Sweetens the dressing naturally.

Dijon mustard: Adds a bit of heat and complexity to the dressing.

Salt and pepper: Enhances the overall flavor of the salad.

To enhance the flavor of the toasted sliced almonds, consider toasting them yourself instead of buying pre-toasted ones. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are golden brown and fragrant. This will bring out their natural oils and add a deeper, richer flavor to your cranberry spinach salad.

• Fresh spinach - Substitute with kale: Kale provides a similar texture and nutritional profile, making it a great alternative to spinach.

• Dried cranberries - Substitute with dried cherries: Dried cherries offer a similar tartness and sweetness, making them a suitable replacement for dried cranberries.

• Toasted sliced almonds - Substitute with toasted sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds provide a similar crunch and nutty flavor, and they are a good alternative for those with nut allergies.

• Thinly sliced red onion - Substitute with thinly sliced shallots: Shallots have a milder flavor compared to red onions, but they still add a nice bite to the salad.

• Crumbled feta cheese - Substitute with crumbled goat cheese: Goat cheese has a similar creamy texture and tangy flavor, making it a good alternative to feta cheese.

• Olive oil - Substitute with avocado oil: Avocado oil has a mild flavor and similar health benefits, making it a suitable replacement for olive oil.

• Balsamic vinegar - Substitute with red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar provides a similar acidity and depth of flavor, making it a good alternative to balsamic vinegar.

• Honey - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup offers a similar sweetness and can be used as a natural sweetener in place of honey.

• Dijon mustard - Substitute with whole grain mustard: Whole grain mustard has a similar tangy flavor and can add a bit of texture to the dressing.

• Salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt provides a similar level of seasoning and can be used interchangeably with regular salt.

• Pepper - Substitute with white pepper: White pepper offers a similar spiciness and can be used as an alternative to black pepper.

• For optimal freshness, store the spinach and other salad ingredients separately from the dressing. This prevents the spinach from becoming soggy.
• Place the spinach in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. This will keep the greens crisp.
• Store the dried cranberries, toasted sliced almonds, red onion, and feta cheese in separate small containers or resealable bags.
• Keep the olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing in a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well before using.
• When ready to serve, combine all the ingredients and pour the dressing over the salad, tossing to coat evenly.

Freezing Guidelines

• While freezing fresh spinach is possible, it is not recommended for this salad as it will lose its crisp texture. Instead, use fresh spinach for the best results.
• If you must freeze, consider freezing only the dried cranberries and toasted sliced almonds. Place them in separate resealable freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
• Do not freeze the red onion or feta cheese as they do not thaw well and can alter the texture and flavor of the salad.
• The olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing can be frozen in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a resealable freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and shake well before using.

• If you have leftover cranberry spinach salad, it's best to store the dressing separately from the salad to keep the spinach from getting soggy.

• To reheat the salad components, follow these steps:

1. Separate the Ingredients: Remove the spinach, cranberries, and feta cheese from the mix. Set aside the spinach and feta cheese as they don't need reheating.

2. Warm the Toppings:

   • Toasted Sliced Almonds: Place the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently until they are warm and slightly more toasted.
   • Red Onion: If you prefer your onions warm, you can lightly sauté them in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they are softened.

3. Reheat the Dressing:

   • Pour the dressing into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will help to blend the flavors and make it easier to toss with the salad.

4. Reassemble the Salad:

   • Combine the spinach, cranberries, warmed almonds, and red onions in a large mixing bowl.
   • Drizzle the warmed dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
   • Finally, sprinkle the feta cheese on top.

5. Serve Immediately: Enjoy your reheated cranberry spinach salad while the toppings are still warm and the spinach is fresh and crisp.

• Large mixing bowl: Use this to combine the spinach, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, red onion, and feta cheese.

• Small bowl: Perfect for whisking together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

• Whisk: Essential for blending the dressing ingredients smoothly.

• Salad tongs: Ideal for tossing the salad to ensure even distribution of the dressing.

• Measuring cups: Necessary for accurately measuring the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and other ingredients.

• Measuring spoons: Useful for precise measurement of the dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

• Knife: Needed for thinly slicing the red onion.

• Cutting board: Provides a safe surface for slicing the red onion.

• Salad spinner: Helps in washing and drying the fresh spinach efficiently.

Pre-wash and dry spinach: Buy pre-washed and dried spinach to save time on preparation.

Use pre-sliced almonds: Purchase toasted sliced almonds to avoid the extra step of toasting and slicing.

Pre-crumbled feta: Opt for pre-crumbled feta cheese to eliminate the need for crumbling.

Ready-made dressing: Use a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette to skip making the dressing from scratch.

Batch prep ingredients: Prepare and store dried cranberries, red onion, and other ingredients in advance for quick assembly.