The very last of this year’s garden was harvested this week.  I’ll have to wait another 7 months before the first of next year’s harvests. It is a sad day at my house when I have to pull up the last of the greens and root veggies.  I set to lighten the mood this year by making  a delicious tribute to the last harvest!
A fall salad with bitter mesculin greens and spicy red onions that are no match for the sweet shaved fennel.

And the tart dried cherries and lemon balsalmic vinaigrette round out the flavors and pull it together perfectly. And it just wouldn’t be October without something pumpkin, so I added a nice crunch with roasted pepitas. It truly is the perfect fall salad and tribute to my final harvest.

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 lb assorted mesculin greens, washed and dried
• 1 cup arugula, washed and dried
• 1 cup spinach, washed and dried
• 1/2 small red onion, shaved thin
• 1 medium fennel bulb, shaved thin
• 1 cup dried tart cherries
• 1 cup roasted pepitas

Vinaigrette

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup white balsalmic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup Olive oil or avocado oil
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

Shave onions and fennel in thin slices, with a mandolin or carefully with a chef’s knife. 

In a large bowl arranged the washed and dried greens. Layer on top the shaved fennel and shaved red onion.

Right before serving, sprinkle the tart cherries and pepitas on the top.

In a blender or food processor put all the vinaigrette ingredients. Blend until smooth consistency. Add more water if you like a thinner dressing.

Top salad with dressing and serve immediately!

The simplicity of both this salad and dressing is perfect for a weekend night side. You can add more protein to to make it a main by adding roasted pork tenderloin or cider-braised chicken breast. Both of these variations are staples in my house during the busy fall weeks. Enjoy and experiment with dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate instead of the dried cherries!

Looking for more delicious fall recipes like this Fall Harvest Salad? Check out all my fall recipes here!

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