Simply Salads-Day 2

 

Broccoli Cashew Salad with Apples and Pears

This is the perfect salad for your next BBQ, potluck, or dinner. All the ingredients pair well together for a tasty side. The ingredients can be prepared early in the day and refrigerated. Add the dressing about an hour and a half before serving, keeping it refrigerated. Use only enough dressing to moisten the ingredients; extra dressing will be left. Instead of sour cream, I used yogurt to reduce the calories. 

The recipe serves four and was adapted from juliasalbum.com

Salad Ingredients:

• 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
• 1 large crisp apple, diced into small pieces
•  1 pear, firm, not soft, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 cup cashews toasted 
• 1 cup dried cran raisins

Other options to consider

• Cauliflower. If you want to mix things up, use an equal amount of cauliflower to replace the half amount of broccoli.
• Nuts. Many types of nuts will work here. Use pecans, peanuts, walnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios instead of cashews.
• Dried fruit. Dried cranberries, dried cherries, raisins, and dried blueberries work great in this recipe.
• Fresh Fruit. The mix of fresh apples and pears works beautifully here, but you can also use apples alone or just pears.

Salad Directions

• Mix ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until serving.

Creamy Salad Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey
•  1/4 teaspoon salt

Creamy Salad Directions:

• Whisk together until cream. Taste test to balance ingredients. 
• Refrigerate and add to salad ingredients about an hour before serving.