Spring Green and Goat Cheese Salad

The other day, I was looking at a catering menu for an event that I'm coordinating for work. I saw a delicious looking salad on the menu and made a mental note of what I'd need to buy if I want to try to replicate it at home. I bought the ingredients on my way home for work and whipped everything together the best I could. The result? The best damn salad we've ever had! It's crispy, tangy, creamy, and sweet! It's currently Dr. Sweetpea's favorite salad and it'll be in our regular dinner rotation for years to come!

Spring Green and Goat Cheese Salad

Spring Greens

Baby tomatoes, halved

Dried apricots, sliced

Pecan halves

Crumbled Goat Cheese

Sliced apples (optional, but if I decide to add apples to the salad, it's always Honeycrisp)

Toss all the salad ingredients together. Drizzle Champagne vinaigrette over salad and serve. 

Champagne Vinaigrette 

(Souce: The Neely's)

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup champagne vinegar (I usually substitute with white balsamic vinegar)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

2 or 3 dashes hot sauce (I usually omit the hot sauce)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, you can combine all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and puré until smooth.