With the Thanksgiving holiday this week, I've been feverishly planning my food spread. This year, I'm staying in Boston with my boyfriend and we'll be cooking together in my tiny kitchen (no roommates!) and feasting away as the sun sets. Despite being vegan, my boyfriend is wary of all things green, especially salads. (It's a wonder we're still together, since food of the verdant variety happens to be my favorite!) In light of this, I decided to enjoy my Thanksgiving salad a few days early, though I may still try to sneak some roasted Brussels sprouts onto the table on Thursday...
This salad requires a few separate steps before assembly, but it's well worth the extra time. Sweet roasted fennel, a tangy rawish cranberry vinaigrette, and crisp spinach make this a delicious holiday appetizer. I hope you and yours have a lovely holiday!
YIELDS
4 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 4 heaping cups spinach
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet with olive oil and place sliced fennel on top, making sure pieces a evenly spaced.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the fennel is slightly brown.
4. While fennel is baking, place cranberries in a medium bowl. Boil a few cups of water and pour over cranberries, making sure they are completely submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain them. They should feel fairly soft to the touch once drained.
5. Place the cranberries, olive oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, and maple syrup in a high speed blender and blend for one minute. Add water by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency.
6. To assemble, mix spinach and fennel in a large mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle on vinaigrette, tossing so the spinach and fennel are evenly coated.
7. Top with chopped pecans or walnuts and serve!
See more at Vegan Thanksgiving recipes 2015!
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Photo: Molly Lansdowne
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