By Week 522. Year 11. Tommy is 43. Spring cleaning and pit maintenance. The mortar checked, the grate inspected, the tools organized. The business running steady — DeShawn handling the big jobs, Marcus on the commercial side, the name Beaumont on the vans and the invoices and the reputation. Rémy (14) finishing school, drawn to the water. The garden is producing. The bayou is running. The roux is turning.
Made shrimp remoulade this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. The chain holds.
When the roux is turning and the house already smells like Louisiana, I like to put something fresh and bright on the table alongside it — something that says the garden is awake and the season has arrived. This Spinach, Apple & Pecan Salad is exactly that: crisp and clean, grounded in textures that feel like spring itself, the kind of dish that holds its own next to bold flavors without fighting them. It’s what I reach for when everything is running steady and I want the whole meal to feel like the day deserved.
Spinach, Apple & Pecan Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
- 1 large crisp apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta or gorgonzola cheese
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the pecans. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast pecan halves for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Slice the apple. Core and thinly slice the apple just before assembling to keep it fresh and prevent browning. A mandoline works well here if you have one.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, apple slices, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled cheese, and red onion.
- Dress and toss. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the leaves evenly. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 195 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 17g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 180mg