Ruby Red Christmas Salad

It seems as though forces have been working against me when it comes to updating this space. I put something together last night, and then again this morning, and both times the words froze on the page preventing me from going any farther. Delete, delete, delete.

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I've been here. I could blame it on being busy and working a lot, but hey, we all do that don't we?  Instead I'm going to say that while I've been cooking far more than usual, I've been making the normal holiday fare. Cookies, hot chocolate, marshmallows, tourtiere, chocolate bark etc. You don't need more recipes for those things. There are plenty of very good ones that can be found online and in cookbooks everywhere.

Instead, I wanted to wait until I had something a little different to share. I think this salad is it. I'm not breaking new ground here with this dish.  Seasonal salads are assembled all the time.  But ruby red salads? Maybe not so much.  I wanted to take some of the best flavours of the season and pair them with white and green goods to make a healthy holiday meal. I don't know about you, but I think I've experienced a little sugar overload already.

Here we have garnet beets and rosy-red pear with pomegranate seeds and tart pink grapefruit. The fruits and vegetable are topped with creamy, crumbled feta and crushed leafy-green pistachios. Together they form a cozy blanket for a bed of crisp baby spinach leaves.  Doesn't that sound refreshing?

A simple cranberry vinaigrette rounds out the flavours, and I'm certain this dish would make an excellent addition to your holiday brunch or dinner.  Or maybe even for your own lunch, which is when I'm planning on eating it.  After I snack on a piece of shortbread or two.

Ruby Red Christmas Salad

• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 red pear, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped, cooked beets 
• 1/2 cup red grapefruit chunks
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 cup roughtly chopped pistachios
• Cranberry vinaigrette (recipe below)

1. Scatter the spinach on a plate or platter.

2. Layer with the pear, beets, grapefruit, pomegranate seeds, feta and pistachios.

3. Drizzle with cranberry dressing just prior to serving

 

Cranberry Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup*
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cranberries

1. Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth.

2. Strain with a fine mesh sieve and store in a glass jar for up to 1 week.

*Feel free to add more sweetener if the dressing is too tart.

 

Comments

[Rachel @ Baked by Rachel]

This is so festive!

[Zee @ The Recipe Code]

Such a festive salad and that Cranberry Vinaigrette looks so appealing!

[Paula]

Wow! This is certainly a festive salad and would look wonderful on any holiday table.

[Carla]

How many servings ?

[Jan Scott]

Hi Carla - About 6, but feel free to double the quantities or cut them in half if you require more or less servings.