Kids in the Kitchen with Girl and Her Kitchen: Apple Harvest Salad

Heather loves to get in the kitchen with her kids, and she wants you in the kitchen with your kids too! Kids in the Kitchen with Girl in the Kitchen shares tips, recipes, and ideas to get you and your kids cooking together.

So, since it is September and all…

It is basically fall in my world.

Yep. Summer is officially over and FALL IS HERE!

Tuck away those bathing suits and sand toys (thank goodness!) and break out the pumpkin scented EVERYTHING.

Do you know what else?

Apples!

You have every right from this point forward to use apples in everything you make from this point forward.

I cannot wait for all the fall baking I am planning for this season, but…I realized today that I need to balance all of it out with some healthy food too. This Harvest Apple Salad is a perfect lunch, side with dinner, or a meal on its own to munch on any time.  Healthy salad greens, sweet, crunchy apple, accompanied by toasted hazelnuts, bacon, and goat cheese, all drizzled with a homemade sweet vinaigrette. If your kids like salads, they will love the crunch of this salad. And if they don’t, well, that leaves more for mom and dad, so we all win on that one! My kids were super helpful in the kitchen, chopping the fruit and vegetables, and they also did a great job shaking up the dressing as well.

This salad just says fall and is even better followed by some delicious fall desserts. Sound good? Try chunky oatmeal cookies with brown butter frosting, or apple pumpkin sunflower bread is really good too. Although, my absolute favorite is Cinnamon Swirl Cake with buttermilk glaze, so when you make your salad, have this dessert ready and waiting. I mean, its fall and you just ate a salad. You deserve a dessert.

Apple Harvest Salad with Cider Vinaigrette Recipe

{Serves 6 side portions, 3 Main Portions}

Ingredients:

• 3 cups salad greens, chopped ( I like using a mix of crunchy romaine and some softer greens)
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/3 cup shredded carrot
• 1 Gala apple, cored and diced
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/3 cup goat or blue cheese, crumbled
• 3 tbsp hazelnuts, chopped and lightly toasted
• 1 recipe Cider Vinaigrette

Toss salad greens, cucumber, carrot and apple together. Top with bacon, cheese and hazelnuts. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

What’s your favorite way to reap the apple harvest? Healthy or not we want the recipe! Tell us about it in the comments.

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