Ah, fall Florida weather! While some of the country has soup simmering on the stove with a crisp breeze coming through their open windows, November weather in Florida is always a tossup. My culinary solution to the ever-changing weather is a fall salad with apples, goat cheese, candied pecans, and a maple vinaigrette. It’s perfect for those days when fall Florida weather regresses back to summer heat. It’s also handy if you need something green and delicious on your Thanksgiving table that doesn’t take up any precious space in your oven.

The base of this salad is kale. Before I lose you, when I taught cooking classes for kids, they gobbled this salad up, so I assure you it’s family-friendly. The key to making kale salads extra delicious is a step called “massaging the kale.” My favorite kale, lacinato (aka Tuscan or dinosaur kale) is sold whole with the stem on. Prepping the kale makes a great job for kids. Have them hold the base of the stem and rip the leaves off. Then, discard the stems and rip the leaves into bite-sized pieces into a bowl. Add a small pinch of salt and massage the kale (with clean hands!) for a minute or so until the color has darkened and the texture is softer. Even just rubbing the kale between your hands, enough to get some friction, works great. I also cut the salad base with some bagged salad greens to balance the bitter kale. Trust me, after tossing in the sweet maple vinaigrette, the apples and candied nuts balance any remaining bitterness.

For the candied nuts, I chose pecans because they’re seasonal, but almonds, cashews and walnuts work here, too. If you’re short on time, you can skip the candy process, but I promise you they’re worth it. There is a reason this candied nut recipe makes more than what is needed for the salad. You won’t be able to stop snacking on these! They make an amazing addition to a cheeseboard. I add a pinch of cinnamon at the end of the candying process, and they taste just like those spiced, candied nuts they sell at county fairs and farmers markets. After cooling, store in an airtight container. These can be made days in advance.

This vinaigrette highlights the deep, rich maple flavor. You can use any white vinegar like rice wine, white wine, apple cider or champagne vinegar, but be sure to use pure maple syrup and a good quality olive oil. I mix my vinaigrette in a mason jar by shaking vigorously until the salt and maple syrup have dissolved. If you’re making this salad ahead of time, you can toss sliced apples in some of the vinaigrette to keep the apples from oxidizing. Feel free to use any crumbly cheese you like. I opted for some goat cheese, but bleu cheese can work as well. Apples are in season through November, but as they phase out, pears become available and make a great substitute. Honey crisp apples are my personal favorite variety, but use any you like. I hope you and your family enjoy this delicious, seasonal salad!

Fall Salad With Apples, Goat Cheese, Candied Pecans and Maple Vinaigrette (6-8 Side Servings)

Ingredients:

Salad

4 cups salad greens (any bagged variety you like)

3 cups torn, massaged kale (from about 4-5 large leaves)

2-3 ounces crumbled goat cheese (or bleu cheese)

1 apple chopped or sliced

Candied Pecans

2 cups pecans, whole or pieces (may substitute for almonds, cashews or walnuts) 

½-cup sugar

Pinch of salt

Small pinch of ground cinnamon

Maple Vinaigrette

¼-cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Start by heating a sauté pan or a cast iron skillet to medium heat. Sprinkle sugar in an even layer in the pan. The sugar will begin to melt and start to look like caramel. Keep a careful eye so that it doesn’t burn (if it begins smoking, turn the heat down). Stir occasionally. Once fully liquified, toss in the pecans. Turn off the heat and stir to coat all of the pecans with the candy coating. Add a pinch of salt and ground cinnamon. Transfer to a tray or plate to cool. Break up the clusters with a wooden spoon or a mallet.

2. Add all vinaigrette ingredients in a closed mason jar and shake until everything is fully dissolved.

3. Prep the kale by stripping the stem out. Tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and massage until bright green. Add in salad greens and sliced or chopped apples. Toss with the vinaigrette. Then, top with candied pecans and crumbled goat cheese.