I’m gonna keep it real with you guys and skip the fake enthusiasm- I’m not generally a Thanksgiving kinda girl. To me, it’s just another day between Halloween (the best day of the year!) and Christmas (a close runner-up). Then you throw in New Years Eve, where I get to wear head to toe sequins and drink champagne all night. It’s just one amazing thing to plan right after the other within three months time and I’m like… you want me to get hyped over some turkey?! 🤷🏻♀️ I’m really selling this I know 😂 Since a lot of Thanksgiving foods are just not at the top of my list, I thought it would be fun to brainstorm some fall flavors that do get me excited…and roll with that. This salad is brought to you by a few of my favorite things (pomegranate seeds and sweet potatoes) and is the perfect pair to the heavier parts of the thanksgiving meal! If you’re looking for something a little different to add to your feast this year, I’ve got you covered! 👏🏻
Fall Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing- Serves a Crowd
For the Salad:
2 Pomegranates (Seeds)
2 Sweet Potatoes
1/2 Sliced Red Onion
2 1/2 Cups Walnuts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Sprigs Rosemary
9 ounces Spinach
6 ounces Arugula
For the Dressing:
1/3 Cup Light Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey
Juice From 1/2 Orange
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Poppyseeds
First, lets get our ingredients prepped. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop sweet potatoes into small cubes and red onion into slices, set both aside. Cut the pomegranates in half and separate the seeds. My favorite way to do this is to set the fruit in a large bowl of water and pick the seeds away from the pulp. Then, as you separate them, the seeds will sink and the pulp will float. You can drag a small mesh strainer across the top of the water to get rid of excess pulp. Last, slide your fingers along the sprigs of rosemary to remove leaves and dice into fine pieces, set aside.
Once the oven is preheated, place sweet potato cubes on cookie sheet(s), drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and bake for 30 minutes or until cubes are slightly crisp. You will want to flip half way through.
Next, melt the butter in a frying pan, then add in walnuts, brown sugar and salt. Cook until walnuts are browed and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the dressing- juice half of the lemon and orange, set juice aside. Whisk the remaining ingredients together until honey is incorporated and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl or bottle.
Toss spinach, arugula, sweet potato, pomegranate seeds, red onion, walnuts, and rosemary in a large bowl. I recommend leaving the poppyseed dressing to the side if you’re serving to a large group for the holidays! (No one likes a soggy salad).
Easy as (pumpkin) pie, right?! This salad is a breeze to throw together, and will be the perfect compliment to all of those heavy Thanksgiving dishes. They say no good story starts with a salad, but if you make this dish and offer your fam enough wine along with it, I beg to differ! 🍷😜
If you decide to make this for your feast, hashtag #347foodie so that I can follow along. Thanksgiving may not be my fav holiday, but that doesn’t mean I am any less excited to live vicariously through your good times, and good food! 😋 I am so THANKFUL to all of you for being Thirty Four-Seven readers. #Blessed Enjoy!! 💖
Xo Amanda