A “Figgy” Fall Salad

Fresh figs are flooding the local markets and I love combining them in an autumnal salad with almonds, apple and a drizzle of honey-infused vinaigrette. Ripe Meyer lemons on our trees are few and far between this month, but I found one remaining among the green golf ball-sized crop that will ripen early next winter. I use lemons almost every day in my low-salt kitchen and have been making my own vinaigrette for years, trying to vary my ingredients, keeping salads seasonal yet low in sodium.

For my greens, I used a mixture of beet greens, baby spinach and kale. Originally, I made this salad using slices of goat cheese that I dipped and egg white and gently cooked in a bit of olive oil. Wanting to cut back on fat, calories, and cholesterol, I decided to simply add goat cheese crumbles instead.

5 from 3 votes

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A “Figgy” Fall Salad

Serves 4 as a side salad

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 338 kcal

Author Liz Schmitt

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted almonds roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
• 1 tablespoon organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon organic honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest - or the zest of any lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups organic cool weather baby greens
• 8 organic ripe black figs halved
• 1/2 large, organic Granny Smith apple cored and chopped
• 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled

Instructions

1. Toast the chopped almonds in a small skillet over medium heat. As soon as you smell the almonds, give the skillet a shake and toast for one more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and lemon zest together in a large salad bowl.

3. Add the greens, figs, apple, goat cheese crumbles, and toasted almonds. Toss gently with the vinaigrette. Serve at once.

About the Author

Liz Schmitt’s cooking changed dramatically following her husband’s heart attack in 2011. Now thirty-five pounds lighter, she adheres to a low-salt diet, avoids “white” foods and treasures every day with her now heart-healthy husband. She shares her recipes on her blog, Liz the Chef, and you can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.