Harvest Salad with Homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette

After a particularly glutinous weekend, Sunday night I decided my parents and I needed something healthy to eat so we whipped up this Harvest Salad.  It was filled with so many tasty ingredients, it will be a salad I recreate many times again.  I loved the addition of dried apricots to the salad it is something I never think to use or eat.  I usually use my old standby dried cranberries but the apricots were so good and I found out Sterling loves them too- I think he thought they were fruit chews but he gobbled them up.  Next time I make this I may alter the dressing a bit and add a bit of Cayenne Pepper just to give it some extra heat and spice but the cinnamon was really nice in the dressing.  This would be an excellent main meal with some grilled chicken on top of it.  It presents beautifully too, so remember it next time you are entertaining and need a salad recipe! 

:: H A R V E S T  S A L A D  W I T H   A P P L E  C I D E R  V I N I A G R E T T E ::

adapted via 

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper
8 cups salad greens, such as arugula, red leaf lettuce or Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup pistachio nuts

Cover apple slices with cold water. Add lemon juice. Let stand until ready to serve.

Mix vinegar, honey and roasted cinnamon in small bowl with wire whisk. Gradually add oil, whisking until well blended.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

To serve, divide greens among 8 plates. Top each with drained apple slices, apricots, blue cheese and pistachio nuts. Serve with dressing.