An herbed green cranberry salad with roasted, spiced pecans, nut cheese, and a vinaigrette! Just 30 minutes to prepare this plant-based side or entrée!
If serving with chickpeas and/or macadamia nut cheese (links above), prepare now (optional).
Prepare cranberry compote by adding cranberries, maple syrup, lemon or orange zest, sea salt, and lemon or orange juice to a small saucepan and bringing to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
Cook for 10 minutes or until the cranberries resemble compote. Remove from heat and transfer to a shallow bowl. Set in the refrigerator to cool.
In the meantime, roast pecans. Heat a medium cast-iron or metal skillet over medium heat and add pecans. Toast for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until deeper in color and fragrant (be careful not to burn).
Add coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and spices of choice and stir to combine. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Then turn off heat and let cool in the pan, stirring occasionally until serving.
Make dressing by adding cranberry compote to a small mixing bowl OR a small blender, such as the Magic Bullet (this will yield a creamier dressing).
Add maple syrup, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and oil and whisk or blend on high to combine. Add enough water to make a thick but pourable dressing (~2 Tbsp or 30 ml // as recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon or vinegar for acidity, salt or pepper for overall flavor, or maple syrup for sweetness.
Assemble salad by laying down mixed greens, herbs, cucumber, and roasted candied pecans in a serving platter or bowl. Add additional toppings, such as nut cheese and chickpeas (optional). Serve with dressing.
Best when fresh. Store leftovers undressed in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Dressing will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Store any leftover cranberry compote up to 1 week. Use to make additional dressing or add to other desserts (such as pies, crisps, or cocktails).
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 4 servings with all of dressing (using lemon juice), with pecans and oil, and without nut cheese or chickpeas. *Cranberry compote adapted from Ambitious Kitchen!