Leftover Turkey Salad

Reminder: just because it’s getting cold out doesn’t mean you have to stop eating fruits and vegetables (that’s more of a reminder to myself than any of you...) Leftover roasted turkey salad ft all the best salad tingz like blue cheese, candied nuts and boiled eggs. Add a nice quick (homemade) balsamic dressing and you’ve got a meal fit for a king. The most unboring salad you’ll ever eat.

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

For the Salad

6-7 cups of your fave salad greens, loosely packed. I used a spinach & arugula mix

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup cucumber, thinly sliced

1 small red apple, cut into thin matchsticks and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 boiled eggs, cooled, peeled, and sliced

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

1 avocado, sliced or diced

1-2 cups leftover roasted turkey, diced or shredded

Salt and pepper

For the Candied Pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar

1-2 tbs good quality dark balsamic vinegar (I used elderberry dark balsamic from Evoolution)

A pinch of rock salt

1/2 cup whole pecans

For the Dressing

1 tsp orange juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

3 tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Start by making the dressing. Put all of the ingredients for the dressing in a container with an airtight lid. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds until all ingredients are combined. Set in the fridge until ready to use.

2. Make the candied pecans. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of rock salt. Stir very well to combine. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and add the pecans. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

3. Transfer the pecans to a parchment lined baking tray and sprinkle with a little more rock or sea salt. Let cool for a minimum of 15 minutes. You can also put the pecans in the fridge to cool. Once hard, break the candied pecans into small chunks or use a knife to slice it into thin shards. Set aside until ready to use.

4. To assemble the salad, place the greens into a large salad bowl. Arrange the remaining salad ingredients on top, and then garnish with the candied pecans and a big pinch of salt and pepper. When ready to serve, give the dressing one last shake, then drizzle over the salad. Toss well to coat in dressing, then serve immediately.