This roasted pear, walnut, and cranberry salad is a great side for a holiday dinner or any weekday meal. The salad is paleo, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and Whole30 friendly.

Our Canadian friends are just finishing their Thanksgiving leftovers, while the rest of us in the U.S. are picking recipes for our upcoming holiday. I'm here to help you get started with a salad that will work for any feast or simple fall meal.

I have a roasted pear, walnut, and cranberry salad.

Don't pooh-pooh the salad.

I find the salad to be a life raft to hold onto in the middle of a heavy meal. It can help lighten the load and cut through some of the bigger dishes, thanks in part to the zippiness of the apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar is a miracle product with many great benefits, including weight management and sugar control. I will do a shot of it before or after a big meal to help with digestion. It’s a must-have product for me.

I included some roasted pears and dried cranberries to lend some natural sweetness to the more bitter greens. It will also save you from adding a sweetener of any sort because no doubt that’s probably already covered on your holiday spread.

I’m all about texture, so I’ve topped this holiday salad with some roasted walnuts, but if almonds are more your jam, then use those instead. I just like a little crunch in my dishes.

With that, I give you a healthy roasted pear, walnut, and cranberry salad to add to your next meal of holiday dinner.

Roasted Pear, Walnut, and Cranberry Salad
{Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Whole30}

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 pears

• 2 tablespoons shallot, minced

• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 bunches of kale or other favorite leafy green, cleaned and chopped, rib removed

• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400F.

2. Wash the pears and cut in half. Remove the core and seeds by using a spoon to scoop out the middle. Slice the pears into thin strips and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they begin to soften, then remove from oven and cool.

3. Whisk the shallots, dijon, lemon, and apple cider vinegar together in a bowl. Slowly add in the oil while stirring vigorously. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place greens in a bowl and toss with dressing. If you’re using kale, I recommend massaging them for more tender greens and easier digestion (see video above). Greens can sit with the dressing overnight, or add the roasted pears, walnuts, cranberries and serve immediately.

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