Freshen up your salad routine this new year! This colorful and mouthwatering salad combines juicy mandarins and tangelos with kale and dried cranberries for a tart and sweet surprise.
Instructions
Candied Pecans
- Make the candied pecans first: place the pecans in a non-stick sauté pan. Toast over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add honey and cook pecans in honey until caramelized, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with zest and salt and spread out onto a lightly pan sprayed sheet pan to cool.
Salad
- Peel and segment the mandarins and place in a large bowl.
- Remove any large ribs from the kale and then thinly slice. Rinse well and spin dry. Add kale to oranges along with dried cranberries.
Dressing
Blend the dressing, honey, and cranberries until smooth, and toss with the salad (try using a small smoothie blender or hand blender). Sprinkle with candied pecans.
Variations
- Substitute the cranberries and honey with ⅓ cup of cranberry sauce for a quick dressing alternative, to use up that after-holiday-dinner cranberry sauce.
- Add some sliced leftover turkey for a tasty salad add-on.
