Aggie's Kitchen

Apple, Nut & Cheese Salad with Apple Vinaigrette

I had a little lunch date with my little girl last week. The weather was perfect for sitting outside and I was craving salad….

bowl of greens with tomatoes, red onion, apples, and walnuts

I don’t know about you but when I start to crave salad I get kind of obsessed about it. I like my salads heavy on the veggies, fruits and nuts and light on the “other” stuff. I’m a bit of a salad purist I guess you can say, sometimes simple is just best in my opinion.

We ended up at Panera and enjoyed our lunch outside by their fountain.  You really can’t beat Panera’s salads as far as freshness and quality go. You already know how I feel about their bread and sandwiches, but just so you know, their salads are pretty much at the top of the list too, especially when I’m looking for something healthy when I’m eating or taking out.

bowl of greens with tomatoes, red onion, apples, and walnuts

I ordered the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and my little one had herself a sandwich with yogurt. This was my first time ordering this salad at Panera and ohmygoodness it was so good. I loved everything about it..but especially the apple chips and vinaigrette. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. I’m not a big chicken eater but I did taste it for fun and gave the rest to my little girl who gobbled it up in minutes. I think the chicken might have been her favorite part of her lunch, she kept asking for more (and actually still is, lol). I was pretty happy to read on the menu that the chicken used at Panera is all natural and antibiotic free. That’s always a good thing.

Gina eating lunch

I found it pretty interesting to learn more about the chefs and what goes into creating the recipes at Panera. These guys really care about how their food tastes and it shows.  You can find a couple of quick videos for you to watch featuring Panera’s Head Baker Tom and Head Chef Dan and their inspiration and passion for food. Hey Dan, Can I come work for you? Thanks. (Nothing personal Tom, but I’m just not a great baker. Unless you want to teach me…now that’s an idea!)

Tom and Dan Introduction

At the Farmer’s Market

“Our menu wasn’t developed in a test kitchen. It was inspired by the food.” (<<<< I love this!!)

If you are a Panera lover like I am visit them on Twitter: @panerabread and Facebook!

(Disclaimer:  Panera Bread provided me with compensation for writing this post. My opinions, however, are always my own.)

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So since our weather here in Florida has definitely warmed up, my salad cravings have just gotten a little more intense. I loved this Fuji Apple Chicken salad so much that I decided I needed to make my own version of it at home.  The salad base was simple…greens, sliced apples, cheddar cheese, red onion, grape tomatoes and toasted pecans. Make it your own by adding leftover grilled chicken, sliced hard boiled egg or maybe use spinach for the greens. The vinaigrette was bright and slightly sweet with the addition of apple juice, though you can always add a little honey if you like it sweeter.

bowl of greens with tomatoes, red onion, apples, and walnuts

Print

Apple, Nut & Cheese Salad with Apple Vinaigrette

  • Author: Aggie's Kitchen
  • Category: Salad

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • Greens (mixed greens, romaine, spinach)
  • Sliced Apples (fuji or granny smith)
  • Cheese (cubed cheddar or crumbled gorgonzola)
  • Nuts (toasted pecans, almonds or walnuts)
  • sliced red onion and tomatoes

For the Vinaigrette

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallot (or sweet onion)
  • 1 teaspoon minced apple
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in jar or container and shake well. Adjust to taste (I don’t like a lot of oil in my dressings, you may want to add more to your liking).

 

bowl of salad with mason jar of apple vinaigrette

If you’re still craving salad after this, check out these great salad creations:

Cucumber Feta Salad – Two Peas and their Pod
Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese Dressing – Mom’s Cooking Club
Chopped Broccoli Salad with Tahini Soy Dressing – Family Fresh Cooking
Blackened Fish Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette – Aggie’s Kitchen
Spinach Couscous Salad – Aggie’s Kitchen

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Salads on Pinterest.

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17 comments on “Apple, Nut & Cheese Salad with Apple Vinaigrette”

  1. Panera’s salads and soups are fantastic! I love your home creations (maybe even more than the original!!!). Perfect. Hooray for the warm weather (btw ;))

  2. That salad looks great but your little girl is adorable!! I must try that dressing soon. Thanks for linking to my chopped salad 🙂

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  4. I also LOVE this salad Aggie! Thanks for the vinaigrette recipe so I can make it at home!

  5. Okay, that pic of your little girl is ADORABLE! What a fun date. I’m bookmarking your salad to try soon. Have a great kickoff to your weekend Friend!

  6. Hmmm – this salad has all sorts of deliciousness going on. And what an awesome date 🙂

  7. absolutely gorgeous salad!

  8. Sounds wonderful Aggie! I love Panera Bread also and am so happy we have one just down the road from us now!

  9. These are some lovely flavor in this salad. Yummy!

  10. Your daughter is so cute!

    I love Panera and your salad too. I really like how you put the vinaigrette in a mason jar too!

  11. I love Panera Bread salads but I love your creation too! I will be trying this one out at home. What a fun date with Gina : )

    Thanks for the mention and link. I love trying different salads. I have one coming up this week.

  12. such a great reminder on fabulous salads to build! yum!

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  15. Oh my goodness are your photos amazing! I love your salad – will definitely try it out soon. I made a similar variation, but I use champagne vinegar instead. You can check it out here:

    http://www.inspiredwives.com/2012/11/apple-and-champagne-vinaigrette.html

    xoxo
    Dana

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