Apple Gorgonzola Salad with Honey Shallot Dressing

4.67 from 6 votes

Apple Gorgonzola Salad with Honey Shallot Dressing

This is one of our all time family favorite salads! I have never been a fan of fruit in my salad until this salad came to be. It is the biggest winner-- even my dad has said "I LOVE this" and he is an iceberg lettuce person, so you know that is saying something! The ingredients down the the dressing, it is a winner!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Dinner, lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy dinner, healthy salads, lunch prep, protein packed dinner, salad recipe

Servings:

Calories: 242kcal

Author: Alaina Hinkle

Ingredients

Honey Shallot Dressing

2/3 cup White Wine Vinegar
2/3 light olive oil or I use grape seed oil
2/3 regular olive oil
2 small clove garlic minced
4 tsp shallot cut finely & chopped
2 tbsp stone ground mustard
1/4 cup liquid honey
pinch of salt & pepper

Apple Gorgonzola Salad Ingredients

16 oz Baby Spinach
1 cup halved pecans
1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
2 gala apples
6 oz Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
Pint of blueberries

Instructions

Honey Shallot Dressing

Add all ingredients into a salad dressing mixer container, shake about 15-20 times, until fully incorporated & either use right away or refrigerate for an hour before use. I always like to let it refrigerate so that the flavors meld longer!

Popped Quinoa

Heat up a medium non stick skillet to medium heat. Spray with olive oil & then take a towel & rub in the oil. Let it heat for about 3 minutes, to get it nice and hot at medium. Then layer your white quinoa to cover the whole skillet.
Then wait for about 3 minutes, then start to shake the pan & continue to do so for about 8 minutes. Until you hear the popping & smell the toasting of the quinoa. Continue to shake it, so that it doesn't burn, until you start to hear the popping die off.
It should only take about 8 minutes and you can see it start to brown & smell nutty. Try with a spoon some of it, it should be nice, crispy & nutty! PERFECT for on top of salads, yogurt, in chocolate to add that crunch!
Transfer to a bowl & let cool until real to use. Store in a sealed container.

Toasted Pecans

In the same skillet that you popped the quinoa, add in 1/2 tbsp coconut oil at medium heat. Then add in the pecans & mix the pecans throughout it. Then sprinkle the coconut sugar & cinnamon on top. Then mix around throughly again.
Flatten out the layer of pecans so each pecan can reach heat. Then every 1-2 minutes, mix it around again with a spatula.
Continue until you can start to smell them getting toasty about 8 minutes. Test taste & then transfer to a bowl, let them sit to cool, to get crunchy!

Assembly Time!

Then you will start layering your salad. Spinach, gala apples cut VERY thin (KEY to how balanced this salad will be), sprinkle blueberries, gorgonzola cheese, toasted pecans & POPPED quinoa. Then drizzle the honey shallot dressing on top and VOILA!

Notes

The nutrition facts do not include the dressing, quinoa, blueberries or pecans because there are usually a good amount leftover & you can add as little or as much as you'd prefer!

Nutrition