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Gluten-free Caramel Apple Crumble

Imagine a juicy cinnamon-caramel sauce mixed with tangy diced apple topped with a fluffy and light gluten-free crumble topping. Do you want to know the secret to make perfectly even crumbles? Grate the dough with a large hole cheese grater. It will be …

The post Gluten-free Caramel Apple Crumble appeared first on My Pure Plants.

Homemade Chunky Applesauce

Homemade applesauce is so easy you may never go back to store bought applesauce again! Apples provide their own sweetness
The post Homemade Chunky Applesauce appeared first on Easy Side Dish Recipes.

Homemade applesauce is so easy you may never go back to store bought applesauce again! Apples provide their own sweetness

The post Homemade Chunky Applesauce appeared first on Easy Side Dish Recipes.

An A-Z Guide of the Most Common Types of Apples

Apples and peanut butter are the ultimate energizing snack, and a steaming cup of cider makes us wish for days spent on a hayride, wrapped in a flannel blanket. Come fall, I’m all about apple pies, cobblers, crisps, galettes, pandowdies, cakes, applesauce, apple butter...do I sound like Forrest Gump yet? While a few apple varieties are accessible year-round, the full bounty is at its peak between late August and early November. Depending on factors such as the climate and growing conditions in a particular area, the specific time when these apple varieties are in season can vary year to year. There are hundreds (HUNDREDS!) of varieties of apples, with many that you and I have probably never even heard of because they are cultivated independently by small farmers. I could never adequately cover each and every variety, so here I’m focusing on the most common types of apples that you can find in grocery stores and pick each fall at your favorite orchard.

In each description, I share when exactly you can find these varieties at their peak. But if you’re out for an autumnal day of family fun at an apple orchard and find that some types of apples are a little past their prime, don’t just pass them up. Instead, grab a few of those slightly smooshed ones that other pickers are sure to ignore, bring them home, and make your own applesauce or mulled cider (the riper the better for these recipes!).

Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula & Apple

This arugula goat cheese salad is simple but a symphony of flavor! Apples, pecans and balsamic dressing make perfection on a plate. I don’t know about you, but we’re always in search of the perfect back pocket salad. You know, the one that’s easy enough to whip up on moments notice? The one that takes little effort but delivers massive flavor? Here’s one that’s on our new favorite back pocket concept: the Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Apples! It’s simple and comes together quickly, but my does it deliver on flavor! The crunch of the apples, creamy goat cheese, and fluffy arugula are the ideal pair for the tangy sweet dressing. We couldn’t stop eating this one! It’s a riff on some of our other salads, but it might be the best of the lot. Ingredients in this arugula goat cheese salad Goat cheese is one of our favorite ingredients for a salad, because it adds a creamy richness to every bite! Here are the elements that come together to make this salad a symphony of flavor: Goat cheese: Soft goat cheese or chevre is best here, though you can use the pre-packaged crumbles as well Baby arugula: Make […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This arugula goat cheese salad is simple but a symphony of flavor! Apples, pecans and balsamic dressing make perfection on a plate.

I don’t know about you, but we’re always in search of the perfect back pocket salad. You know, the one that’s easy enough to whip up on moments notice? The one that takes little effort but delivers massive flavor? Here’s one that’s on our new favorite back pocket concept: the Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Apples! It’s simple and comes together quickly, but my does it deliver on flavor! The crunch of the apples, creamy goat cheese, and fluffy arugula are the ideal pair for the tangy sweet dressing. We couldn’t stop eating this one! It’s a riff on some of our other salads, but it might be the best of the lot.

Ingredients in this arugula goat cheese salad

Goat cheese is one of our favorite ingredients for a salad, because it adds a creamy richness to every bite! Here are the elements that come together to make this salad a symphony of flavor:

Goat cheese: Soft goat cheese or chevre is best here, though you can use the pre-packaged crumbles as well
Baby arugula: Make sure to get baby arugula; standard arugula is much too spicy
Apple: A crisp red apple is best, though you can use a Granny Smith as well
Shallot: A shallot is a milder version of a red onion, and completes the flavor
Pecans: Substitute in any nut you’d like, or see below on how to step up the flavor
Balsamic dressing: This creamy balsamic dressing is our go-to, but you can use others too (see below)

Best salad dressing, and a few alternatives

Our favorite vinaigrette for this goat cheese salad is our Creamy Balsamic Dressing. It’s got just the right sweet tart flavor and creamy, emulsified texture. All you need is balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and olive oil: and it comes together in a breeze! Memorize it and you’ll have a dressing for all of your future salads; it’s our best loved salad dressings in this house!

But looking to mix it up? There are a few other vinaigrettes we love that pair with a goat cheese salad. Here’s what we’d recommend:

Citrus Salad Dressing Orange and lemon are an ideal combination with goat cheese.
Dijon Mustard Dressing Another family favorite! This dressing gives every salad a pop of flavor.
Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing Go big on the tangy flavor of ACV.

Step up the pecans: toast them or glaze them!

Want to make this salad really pop? When we’re making this goat cheese salad with arugula on a weeknight, we use plain nuts. But for entertaining, there are two ways to really make this salad sparkle:

Toast the nuts. A quick toast in the oven or in a skillet makes a huge difference: it really brings out the nutty flavor. Try Toasted Pecans, Toasted Walnuts or Toasted Almonds.
Glaze the nuts. Even better: make Glazed Pecans! Throw them in a pan with maple syrup and caramelize them: when they dry, they’ll be sweet and crunchy on the outside. Also try Glazed Walnuts.

Variations on this goat cheese salad

There are infinite variations on this goat cheese salad with arugula: just swap in different fruits, veggies, or nuts to make variations of all kinds! Here are a few options:

Use different nuts, like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or pistachios
Make a pear goat cheese salad with sliced pears
Make a beet goat cheese salad with roasted beets (it’s easiest with pre-cooked packaged beets from the store, or roast your own)
Use berries instead, like blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries
Swap fruit for veggies, like carrots (raw or roasted) or roasted sweet potatoes
Use different leafy greens, like baby mixed greens, spinach, or shaved Brussels sprouts

You readers always have the best ideas! So let us know the ways you’ve customized this salad.

Goat cheese vs cows cheese

Did you know goat cheese is slightly healthier than a standard cow’s cheese, like Parmesan or mozzarella? Here’s a little breakdown on how it compares (source: Prevention):

More vitamins and minerals than cow’s cheese. Goat’s milk is richer in essential nutrients than cow’s milk. It has more vitamin A & B, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Slightly less calories than cow’s cheese. Goat cheese has just 75 calories per ounce—less than cow cheeses like mozzarella (85 calories), Swiss (108 calories), and cheddar (115 calories).
May be easier to digest. Goat cheese has less lactose than cow’s milk and a slightly different protein structure, so people who are lactose intolerant many times can digest goat cheese.

This goat cheese salad with arugula recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula & Apple

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

This arugula goat cheese salad is simple but a symphony of flavor! Apples, pecans and balsamic dressing make perfection on a plate.

Ingredients

1 recipe Balsamic Dressing (or Citrus Salad Dressing or Dijon Dressing)
1 crisp apple
1 shallot
5 ounces (8 cups) baby arugula (not standard arugula*)
1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped (toasted or glazed, if desired)
2 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre), crumbled
Sea salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, make the dressing.
Thinly slice the apple and shallot.
Place the greens on a plate. Top with the sliced shallot, apple, pecans, and crumbles of soft goat cheese. Drizzle with dressing and top with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Notes

*Standard arugula has much too spicy of a flavor; look for the small baby arugula leaves like you see in the photo. It comes packaged in the produce section near the greens, or may be available at your local farmer’s market.

Category: Side dish
Method: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keywords: Arugula goat cheese salad

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Brussels Sprout Salad

This Brussels sprout salad recipe has the best fresh flavor and zingy dressing! Pair with apple, almonds and cherries for a simple side dish. Brussels sprouts in a salad? Turns out, the mighty sprout is one of the best ways to make delicious, feathery salad greens. Sure, Brussels sprouts are transcendental crispy roasted with maple glaze. But shaved raw in a salad is the next best way to eat them! The raw greens aren’t bitter at all: they’re sweet and feathery, with irresistibly tasty flavor. Combine them with a sweet and tangy Djion mustard dressing, apples, and dried cherries, and they’re pretty darn perfect. Ready to get shredding? Ingredients for Brussels sprout salad There are so many ways to make a killer Brussels sprout salad recipe: here’s our favorite — and we’ll offer some variations and options below. Here’s what we put in our salad: Shaved Brussels sprouts: see below for how to do it, or buy them pre-shaved Crunchy leafy green: we used escarole, but it’s optional Apple: Apple and Brussels are a classic combination Dried cherries: Use tart cherries with no added sugar if you can find them Almonds: Marcona almonds have great flavor, or use whatever you […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This Brussels sprout salad recipe has the best fresh flavor and zingy dressing! Pair with apple, almonds and cherries for a simple side dish.

Brussels sprouts in a salad? Turns out, the mighty sprout is one of the best ways to make delicious, feathery salad greens. Sure, Brussels sprouts are transcendental crispy roasted with maple glaze. But shaved raw in a salad is the next best way to eat them! The raw greens aren’t bitter at all: they’re sweet and feathery, with irresistibly tasty flavor. Combine them with a sweet and tangy Djion mustard dressing, apples, and dried cherries, and they’re pretty darn perfect. Ready to get shredding?

Ingredients for Brussels sprout salad

There are so many ways to make a killer Brussels sprout salad recipe: here’s our favorite — and we’ll offer some variations and options below. Here’s what we put in our salad:

Shaved Brussels sprouts: see below for how to do it, or buy them pre-shaved
Crunchy leafy green: we used escarole, but it’s optional
Apple: Apple and Brussels are a classic combination
Dried cherries: Use tart cherries with no added sugar if you can find them
Almonds: Marcona almonds have great flavor, or use whatever you can find
Feta crumbles, optional: Feta is tasty, but this salad is just as good without
Dijon dressing: Top with our favorite Dijon mustard dressing for all the goodness

How to shred Brussels sprouts

The most time consuming part of Brussels sprout salad is…shaving the Brussels sprouts! There are a few ways to do it: and all you need is a Chef’s knife. However, if you have fancy equipment, it makes the process much faster. Here’s what to know:

Knife: Remove any tough outer layers with your fingers. Cut the Brussels sprout in half lengthwise. Place the cut side down and thinly slide cross-wise to create shreds. Separate the shreds with your fingers. Discard the root end.
Food processor: Use the slicing disc of a food processor. Place the Brussels sprout in top down one at a time, which creates long thin ribbons.
Mandoline: Put on the protective gloves that came with the mandoline. Shave each sprout from the tip to the end, using the mandoline attachment.

Variations: other salad mix-ins!

Shaved Brussels sprouts aren’t bitter as you’d expect. They have a sweet flavor and a beautifully feathery texture. You can add just about anything to your Brussels sprout salad and it will taste good! Here are a few more ideas for mix-ins:

Pomegranate seeds add a beautiful crunch (here’s how to seed one)
Dried fruit like cranberries or raisins can stand in for the cherries
Pear can stand in for apple
Walnuts, pecans or pistachios work instead of almonds
Pumpkin seeds add additional crunch
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese adds a savory note instead of feta

Salad dressing variations

You can also vary the dressing in this salad! We love it with our Dijon mustard dressing. But there are a few other dressing that work based on the ingredients you have on hand. Here are a few other options:

Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing An easy dressing with apple cider vinegar instead.
Best Balsamic Vinaigrette This classic balsamic dressing has big flavor!
Citrus Salad Dressing If you have lemon and orange on hand, the citrus pairs perfectly.
Honey Mustard Dressing This easy dressing has a warm honey flavor.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette Got pomegranate seeds or juice? This dressing is perfection.

Another idea? Try tossing this salad with a sticky reduction sauce after the dressing, like Balsamic Reduction or Pomegranate Molasses.

More Brussels sprouts recipes

The humble Brussels sprout has grown into one of our favorite foods. In the last several years, it’s grown massively in popularity on restaurant menus. We’re so glad it’s enjoying the spotlight it deserves! Here are a few more great Brussels sprout recipes:

Try these mind-blowing Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glaze
Fire up the oven for Crispy Brussels Sprouts or Spicy Brussels Sprouts
Go classic with Fried Brussels Sprouts
Try Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
Opt for hearty Brussels Sprout & Sweet Potato Salad

This Brussels sprout salad recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, diary-free and gluten-free.