Name: Arugula, Apple and Fennel Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup arugula; 1 fennel bulb (halved and thinly sliced); 1 Granny Smith apple (cut into matchsticks); 1/4 cup Gorgonzola (crumbled (optional)); 1/4 cup almond slices (optional); 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon honey; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 garlic clove (minced); 3/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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This healthy salad recipe combines arugula, apple and fennel tossed in a honey apple cider vinaigrette. Add Gorgonzola cheese and almonds for an extra kick of flavor.

Before I get to the recipe, let’s talk about one of the ingredients, fennel. People have a love-hate relationship with fennel. Sadly, it's received a bad wrap as an unpopular vegetable. Thinly sliced raw or braised, fennel can be an enjoyable vegetable to eat. Combined with other ingredients, the anise-like flavor mellows. Nutritionally, it’s high in vitamin A, antioxidants and fiber. A few reasons to give this vegetable another try if your not a fan.

HOW TO MAKE AN ARUGULA, APPLE AND FENNEL SALAD

What You'll Need

1 cup arugula
1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup almond slices (optional)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Whisking vinaigrette in small glass bowl

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, Dijon mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Slowly stream in oil and whisk to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.

Honey apple cider vinaigrette in a small glass pitcher

Assembling the Salad

I like to make sure that the fennel is evenly and thinly sliced.

The apple matchsticks are cut thin. Try to keep them about the same size.

Here's a little trick to keep the apple matchsticks from turning brown. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the apples. It stops the browning and adds flavor.

In a large bowl, add the arugula, fennel and apples. Dress salad with the vinaigrette, then toss gently. Add gorgonzola and almonds if desired. Serve immediately.

A FEW RECIPE TIPS:

Fennel

How to choose fennel: Look for green bulbs without brown markings. The fronds should be fluffy and still attached to the bulb.
How to store fennel: Store in a reusable storage bag or tightly wrapped in a plastic bag. The fennel will last for up to 5 days refrigerated.
Peel the outer layer with a vegetable peel or with your hands and wash it well. No one wants dirt in their salad. If you peel the outer layer, add it to your compost. Nothing wasted.
You can leave the fennel core in or remove it. I prefer to take it out since it has a harder texture. Be sure to slice the fennel a thinly as possible. You can use a mandoline to get even, uniform slices.
Freeze the fennel fronds to use in soups, sauces or stocks.

Substitutions and Additions
You can substitute goat cheese for Gorgonzola. If you want to add a little protein, baked or roasted chicken is a great addition.