Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette

Sometimes it seems a little difficult to really dress up a salad but this time of year, being off work for winter break, I tend to have a little more time to spend on the sides of a meal than I normally would so I really like to get creative!  A friend of mine recently made this for a work lunch and it was so delicious that I went back for seconds....on the salad!  Who does that??

As my family gathered for a Pre-Christmas seafood feast I thought it would be a good addition to the meal because clearly with the mussels, salmon, scallops and risotto we needed something else!  It was such a hit that as we were all winding down from an amazing meal I had to add more spinach to the salad to stretch it just far enough for everyone to have a little bit more!

Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette

Sugar Curried Pecans

6 oz. pecan halves

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2/3 cup olive oil

Salad

10 oz. fresh baby spinach

1 gala apple, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

For the pecans:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss pecans in butter.  

Stir together sugar and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; add pecans, toss to coat.  

Spread in a single layer in a nonstick aluminum foil lined pan.  Bake 10-13 minutes or until toasted and lightly browned.  Cool in a pan for 20 minutes.  Separate pecans with a fork.

For the vinaigrette:

Whisk ingredients together until well blended.

For the salad:

Combine spinach and next 3 ingredients.  Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with pecans and crumbled goat cheese.