I’ve been making this salad for my family at Thanksgiving for years.

It started because I really wanted something fresh and colorful on the table to go with all the rich, delicious dishes that were already there. It was a hit. They’ve asked for it every year since.

And now I’m bringing the tradition to France to join all the amazing dishes on our Christmas table.

Ingredients

• Mixed Greens
• Pomegranate Seeds
• Pears, soft
• Walnuts, raw
• Goat Cheese
• Balsamic Vinaigrette (see recipe & video below)

Directions

Step 1: There are two options for the walnuts, I’ve done both and both are great. Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes to bring out the flavor or “candy” your walnuts by adding butter and brown sugar to the pan and cooking a bit longer.

Step 2: Remove the seeds from 1-2 pomegranates (If you’ve never done this before it’s really not that hard. I like Jamie Oliver’s 1-minute video showing you how)

Step 3: Peel, core and cut your pears into thin slices

Step 4: Build your salad in a big bowl:

• 1-2 inch layer of salad dressing
• Fill to the top with greens
• Add walnuts, pears, and pomegranate seeds on top
• Add crumbled goat cheese

Toss right before serving. It’s beautiful and delicious!!

Now for the dressing. If you’re not already making your own salad dressing, you absolutely should start. It’s quite easy plus it’s healthier and tastier than what you can find at the market.

There are a lot of different variations you can do. Here’s the recipe for my family’s go-to dressing, which is a take on my French mother-in-law’s classic vinaigrette. Watch the video to see just how easy it really is.

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. Use a dressing jar or glass mason jar; something with a lid.
2. Add 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3. Add 2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4. Add 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
5. Add 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced or pressed
6. Add 1/4 tsp sea salt
7. Put on the lid and shake until blended

That’s all there is to it. Simply store in the fridge and you will always have fresh, delicious dressing ready to be used.

If you’re making a big salad for a dinner party or potluck, go ahead and make the dressing right at the bottom of a large bowl. Depending on how big the bowl is I usually make about 1-2 inches of dressing. Then add all your ingredients on top of the dressing and wait to toss it until right before you’re ready to eat. That way it’s easy to transport, no extra jars, and your salad won’t get wilted.

There are many variations you can make on the dressing above. Simply follow the template below and mix and match acids, oils, and flavors. Find a combination that you and your family love.

Salad Dressing Template

• Acid (1 part) — Vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, champagne, etc) or Citrus Juice (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
• Oil (2 parts) — Olive, Avocado, Walnut, Flax, Sesame, etc
• Flavor — Garlic, Shallots, Onion, plus any variety of herbs and/or spices

Have fun experimenting. I promise, you won’t regret taking the 10 minutes it will take to make your own dressing. You’ll never go back to store bought.