Autumnesque salad with cinnamon maple vinaigrette
The cinnamon in this dressing warms you from the inside out - perfect for brisk fall weather. The sweetness from the cherries, sweet potato, and maple syrup make this nutrient rich salad taste like a decadent fall dessert. This salad is a great addition to your thanksgiving feast.
½ cup cherries, halved and pitted
I medium sized roasted sweet potato (because they are so damn delicious!), cooled, skins removed, and cut into cubes (to do this I simply cover sweet potatoes individually in aluminum foil and put them in a 400 degree oven for an hour or so until they reach a mushy consistency. You can poke them with a fork to test the doneness)
¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
½ head lettuce of choice (I prefer red leaf lettuce because of the beautiful colors and fun crinkled texture that holds the dressing nicely)
¼ cup grade b maple syrup
Pepper to taste (optional)
Mix lettuce with half of the other ingredients and about ¾ of the dressing. Spread and lay out remaining ingredients on the top in order to create a colorful feast for the eyes. Drizzle remaining dressing on top. Serve and enjoy.
Note: Blueberries or raspberries are nice alternatives to the cherries.
Photo credit: Michelle Wozniak