This salad is super easy to put together! It is so satisfying and you’ll enjoy every bite of this crunchy and flavorful salad. Great side dish or solo meal. Also a great option to bring to your next gathering!
Five years ago I had just gone back to work after a 10-week maternity leave. We welcomed a second precious son. But I was SAD. Like, so totally devastatingly depressed about not being at home with my newborn and three-year-old. I remember saying to my (still) bestest friend, “Why can’t I be one of those lucky people who writes a blog for a living?!” And she said, “You can be. Do it!”
Literally the next day, I started this blog. A year and a half after that day, I lost my full-time job as a graphic designer (a blessing in disguise at the time). From that moment on I have been blessed enough to divide my time between being a stay-at-home mom, photographer and food blogger. I can honestly say that I could not ask for a better set of jobs.
THANK YOU for being so wonderful and supportive and awesome for the past five years. Without YOU, this job would not be nearly as awesome.
This recipe was put inspired by my mom. She was going to be visiting from California. It is because of her that I have labeled myself the queen of salads and sandwiches. The day before she arrived, I asked her for an idea for a salad to make while she was here. Here is the simple yet YUMMY creation she came up with. Thank you, MOM!
HOW TO MAKE GRAPE PECAN SUMMER SALAD WITH A DELICIOUS VINAIGRETTE
I hope this becomes an all time favorite healthy salad for you like it did for me!
STEP 1
In a large bowl, combine the mixed greens, grapes, goat cheese and pecans. Toss all together.
STEP 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry jam, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate both bowls until ready to serve.
STEP 3
Just before serving, add the dressing and toss into the salad greens until coated.
RECIPE TIPS
This salad doesn’t have any meat and it’s perfect that way. But if you want to add some protein, shredded rotisserie chicken is an awesome addition.
Chopped red onion and avocado are excellent additions or substitutions to this meal.
Candied pecans or 1 tsp of chia seeds are a good additions to your salad.
CRAVING MORE HEALTHY SALADS OPTIONS?
Best Chopped Salad – This chopped salad is packed with delicious ingredients including candied pecans, red onions, avocado, tomatoes and more!
Edamame Tomato Corn Salad – Edamame Tomato Corn Salad is my favorite salad recipe of ALL TIME. This delicious salad is a crowd-pleaser, enjoyed any time of the year. Bring this to a party and it will be devoured immediately!
Loaded Veggie Salad – This versatile Loaded Veggie Salad is EASY to make and it is packed with healthy ingredients, such as chickpeas, black beans, tomatoes and avocados. It is a delicious lunch, wrap filling, party side or even a topping for chicken!
Quinoa Edamame Salad – Quinoa Edamame Salad is great for parties and can be served in throw-away cups for serving ease. Also great as a salad to have in the fridge. It is packed with fresh fruit and veggies.
Crunchy Bok Choy Salad – This crunchy, veggie-packed Bok Choy Salad is a great dish to bring to parties. Prepare this one just before serving. It will quickly become a salad favorite!
Avocado Berry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette– This is the most beautiful, vibrant salad you’ll ever meet that also aligns with the Whole30 diet! There is such an intriguing combination of flavors and textures and you’ll want to eat it every single day.
Green Salad With Grapes And Pecans And Raspberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 6 cups Romaine lettuce rinsed and chopped
- 2 cups red grapes halved
- 4 oz. container crumbled goat cheese
- 1 cup pecans chopped
DRESSING
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, grapes, cheese and pecans. Toss.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry jam, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate both bowls until ready to serve. Just before serving, pour the dressing into the salad bowl and toss until coated.
Scrabble is my favorite board game!
I purchased my first home two years ago, and that was a huge goal that I never dreamed would happen!
My biggest goal was to get out of debt. In 2014, everything except my mortgage was paid off. Losing weight seems to be a recurring goal with me 🙁 . Trying not to diet but to eat healthy instead.
I have fought a battle every day – overcoming Lyme disease. It is a choice every single day to have a positive attitude and know that I can overcome the obstacles I have dealing with this. I love your blog and look forward to the great recipes you provide! My goal is to continue to beat Lyme disease and live a fulfilling life!
most
Inspiring person in my life is my best
Friend Lisset. We met living next to each other on a military base
And she has taught me how to be a great mom when I have had no famy around. She is someone u can call noatter what time and she will always be there. The is a great wife and mom and I look up to her. I'm so glad we met
And became best
Friends!
Monopoly is my favorite board game.
I have always loved Monopoly!
I've had an interesting couple of years. After 25 years selling real estate in Florida, I moved back to Nashville, Tennessee last summer. It's a move I've wanted to make for a very long time. I am now retiring from real estate to pursue a new plan. Eighteen years ago my husband died of heart failure at the age of 46. I was 42 and our children were 8, 11 and 14 years old. It wasn't impossible, but it wasn't always easy. A few years ago I began writing some stories about grief experiences. Then I started a blog and a Facebook page named after the book I am planning to publish called The Widows Walk.In 2012, I completed a masters in counseling and now offer grief counseling at no charge to the grieving person. I am also in the process of establishing a corporation that will be not for profit and donor based for The Widows Walk Grief Counseling Ministry.
The goal that I have personally accomplished is promoting to the position at work that I've always wanted but never thought I'd get. Dedication and hard work pays off ??
In the last couple of years, I retired against my will to take care of my 87 year old mom and wasn't too happy about it. Since that time I have become a much kinder and gentler person -huge change for me! In the next 5 or so years I would like to sell my home and go on the road to visit people and places, specially train rides.
Most inspiring person in my life has been and will always be Jesus Christ.
My biggest accomplishment in the last 5 years is giving birth to a beautiful boy! He is the best thing I have ever done. In the next 5 years and beyond, I hope to give him the happiest fullest life 🙂
You are amazing! So proud of all the hard work you've put into your awesome blog. Grateful every day that you are in my life.
❤️ you!
My favorite board game is Monopoly. I'm hoping once my kids are old enough, they'll want to play with me. My husband humors me every few years. haha!
I have finally accomplished the goal of putting a new designed kitchen It has been a dream of mine for several years
The goal I started 4 years ago was to be healthy. That was different than past goals of losing weight. I now eat healthy, have taken processed sugars out of my diet, go to the gym 6 days/week and have lost 180#!
Life is my favorite board game.
in the past 5 years, i've started optometry school to fulfill my dream of becoming an eye doctor!! in the next five years (well in the next 2 years) that dream will become a reality!
First of all thank you for making that difficult decision to write your food blog which I truly enjoy! In the last five years I decided to leave my corporate rat race (high paying) job in restaurant management and manage our local high school cafeteria. The pay is a third of what I used to make with the wonderful upside being summers off to garden and can, a regular eight hour day and working six minutes from home. This dream and subsequent change helped teach me what's really important in life, such a gift! In the next five years I hope to make a difference in the eating habits of the kids in my community by introducing them to "diversity in food".
My goal in the next few years move back to my home state. Texas……
Monopoly is my favorite board game. In the next 5 years I would love to find the perfect part time job.
A goal I've accomplished? … I earned my Master's degree and found a great job in my field!
I have met part of my goal this last year by losing about half the weight that I need to. I have learned to eat healthier, drink more water, ramp up my exercise program and walk more. I hope to lose the rest in the next year. I have a lot of support from my friends and family, so I see this as totally doable!
My greatest accomplishment was becoming a grandmother to 2 wonderful children! Shane and Catelynn. And now I've taken up sewing and quilting. I am learning on my own. I hope to continue this as my main hobby from now on for the future. I get my inspirations from my grandmothers. Granny was THE best cook ever and my other grandmother made all my clothes. they inspire me to be my best. I love playing Monopoly with my grandson. We buy everything! and learn about money.
You have a great blog
5 years ago I retired from teaching. I taught Preschool and Kindergarten for 30 years. I now work in a church office because you can't get by on your retirement income by itself. I love being around the people and getting to know them. It is very emotional sometimes in a church office.
I run, my first run was at age 50, and I did a half marathon which I am very proud of. I try to stay healthy and eat right and continue to exercise.
Favorite board game is Trivial Pursuit and I admire anyone who is older that keeps up with a healthy regimen and tries to keep their lifestyle going in that same direction.
We recently sold our large home. We hope to find a smaller home in a community we love before retirement, which is coming up soon. I love board games! Scrabble, Monoooly and the old game of Life are always fun.
We're about to have a baby boy, our second child. I'd love to have one or two more kids and move closer to family!
I recently had my first child and I hope to do my best at raising her in the next five years.
Hubby and I are hoping to retire in the next couple years, and I also wish to start a blog for a creative outlet. Thanks for such a great giveaway.
Four years ago I graduated college and was looking forward to fulfilling another goal of mine, Graduate school. But I ended up being diagnosed with a disease that set me back and pretty much discouraged me from really doing anything. The past couple years I have learned to manage it, although a few set backs have occurred, this past month I have really started to get my mind where my heart is. So once again, my future goal for the next five years is to go to Graduate school and hopefully get to do what I am passionate about, help people.
Trivial Pursuit used to be my favorite board game, but now I play it online! I like to play Sorry with my kids also — a game I played as a kid.
IDK if it's my forever favorite, but I really like Pandemic. Partly that's because it's cooperative, so I can play 5 characters by myself, if I feel like it, and then throw my hands in the air and make cheering crowd noises when I win (which is not every time).
In the next five years I hope to have gotten my health back. Stopped smoking and be the best grand mother I can be to my first grand child! I hope to be celebrating my 35 wedding anniversary with the love of my life!
My biggest goals for the next five years include getting my master's degree, getting a full time teaching job, improving my financial security, and surviving my two daughters going through their teenage years! 🙂
I hope to have our mortgage paid off by 2020. God willing.
Do you consider Apples to Apples a board game? It's so fun!! I love board games in general though.
In the last 5 years, I have had a child. It was a goal not so easily accomplished. But by far, the biggest blessing, teacher, and eye opening experience to date. He has taught me so much more about life than I've taught him. A friend told me when I was pregnant, that when raising my baby, it would be the only chance to ever "re-discover" the world again. Didn't quite understand until the toddler years. Watching him feel wind for the first time and it literally take his breath away, feel grass on the soles of his feet and hesitating before touching again (what in the world is this green picky stuff??), and feel rain drops on his little head and look up to figure it all out, I understood.
Great for this summer! Super healthy and delicious at the same time. Very simple. Pecans and goat cheese are a great combination. Love it. Robert @ MillicanPecan.com
Agreed! Thanks for commenting!