Holiday Salad with Blackberry-Cranberry Dressing

Hey, everyone! This is Madeline again, and I have some super exciting recipes and news! First of all, I had a great Thanksgiving. I didn't make much on the actual holiday because my mom made five different desserts for our gathering with our extended family, and since my kitchen is small, I figured it would be best to stay out of the way for the sake of efficiency. On Black Friday, though, I cooked a lot! My immediate family has our own mini Thanksgiving every Black Friday, so I helped with the turkey and prepared a Squash and Sweet Potato Soup. The food this year at both Thanksgiving meals was great, and I had a great holiday weekend.

My family's Thanksgiving dinner

On Saturday, my extended family gathered to celebrate some birthdays, and I was in charge of bringing a salad. I knew that I wanted to bring a classic fall/winter salad with nuts and berries and blue cheese... but then I remembered that one of my uncles can't eat nuts or anything with seeds, and that one of my aunts can't have dairy. To solve this problem without changing my idea, I separated all the ingredients and created a salad bar. The dressing I made used fresh blackberries and cranberries, but since my uncle can't have berries because of the seeds, I brought along some balsamic glaze from Trader Joe's as an alternative. My family members mixed and matched ingredients based on their preference, and it turned out really well. If you need to entertain for a party or something, bring a salad and serve it salad bar style! You can have a central flavor palette that is very unique without compromising the mix-and-match element. I, of course, put everything on my salad, and the following recipe shows you how to make the salad that I ate. I think it's the best side salad I've made in a long time, and it is perfect for the holidays! Enjoy!

Holiday Salad with Blackberry-Cranberry Dressing... Salad bar style!

Holiday Salad with Blackberry-Cranberry Dressing
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
5 oz  pre-washed baby spring mix (or your favorite salad greens)
1 large cameo apple, diced
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup organic Gorgonzola crumbles
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

For dressing:
½ cup fresh or frozen blackberries
½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup honey
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp water
½ tsp fresh thyme
The zest of half of an orange
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation
1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender or Vita-Mix. Start at a low speed, and gradually increase the speed to medium-high. Once the dressing is very smooth with little to no seeds or berry chunks remaining, your dressing is done. Add more water if needed to make it thinner. Adjust the seasonings.

2. Combine the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasonings and serve.

I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious recipe! Seriously, this is my favorite recipe that I've shared on my blog all year. Try it out sometime this month for any holiday party or just for a nice family dinner. Please share your recreations with me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #teenscancooktoo. I would love to see your spin on the recipe! Please follow Teens Can Cook, Too at all the social media handles for more exciting updates. Next week, the team is going to THEO CHOCOLATE! Yay! There will be a blog post and hopefully a video about that, and you definitely don't want to miss it!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teenscancooktoo (@teenscancooktoo)
Instagram: http://instagram.com/teenscancooktoo (@teenscancooktoo)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Teens-Can-Cook-Too/113579778813832
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiKFPsBoLhYw2W42P7LvKQ

Stay healthy!
- Madeline