Winter Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I originally wasn't going to share this recipe with you because the photos I have are very "blah" and although it's good (how can a recipe with pumpkin seeds not be good?), when I brought it to a potluck over the holidays it didn't stand a chance against another salad adorned with canned mandarin slices, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese and a sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

But, this recipe ties in really well to my next entry/recipes, so I thought I should share it anyway.

This recipe was originally printed in the Calgary Herald. The salad doesn't really use any particularly hardy winter vegetables, so I'm guessing the salad is only called such because the colours are very Christmas-y - there's red cabbage, red pepper, red onion and dried cranberries, and for the green, the lettuce (of course) and pumpkin seeds. My favourite part of this salad was probably the vinaigrette though; you get the acidity of the rice vinegar is muted by the sweetness of the honey, the zippiness of the mustard, the fruitiness of the cranberry juice and the fresh herbiness of the cilantro and green onion. Perhaps if the other salad at the party and my dressing joined forces, then we would've had something going on...


This salad works best as a side because it's essentially pure vegetable, but if you do want to make it into a meal, then you should flesh it out (tehe) with a bit of protein...

Winter Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Adapted from the Calgary Herald
Makes about 11 cups

• ¼ cup (60 mL) cranberry juice
  
• ¼ cup (60 mL) rice vinegar
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
  
• ¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil
  
• ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) green onion, finely chopped
  
• 8 cups (2 L) mixed baby greens
  
• 2 cups (500 mL) red cabbage, shredded
  
• ½ cup (125 mL) red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  
• ⅓ cup (85 mL) red onion, thinly sliced
  
• ⅓ cup (85 mL) dried cranberries
  
• ⅓ cup (85 mL) shelled pumpkin seeds

1. To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together cranberry juice, vinegar, honey and mustard until combined. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Stir in cilantro and green onion.
   
2. Combine remaining ingredients (greens through pumpkin seeds) in a bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Info (per cup): 99 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrate (2 g fibre, 6 g sugar), 2 g protein, 12 mg sodium. A good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and folate.