Weekly Recipe #143: Cranberry Pear and Walnut Salad

By Elizabeth Mishler, University of Minnesota-The Emily Program Dietetic Intern, on rotation with Open Arms of Minnesota

Growing up in Phoenix, AZ, more than 1,500 miles away from extended family, we have always celebrated the holidays with family friends, whose families were also out-of-state. Thanksgiving with this wonderful group of people is always a feast! This Cranberry, Pear, and Walnut Salad makes an appearance each year and is one of my favorite dishes for the meal. It might be the week after Thanksgiving, but chances are you still have leftovers in your fridge. One of my favorite things about this salad is that it is a great addition to the sandwich I make with leftover turkey and rolls.

This dish is great because it is full of healthy fruit and nuts. Apples and pears are high in fiber, which helps with gut health, keeping you “regular”, and keeping you full. Apples are also high in vitamin C, which is necessary for the health and repair of skin and other tissues in your body and for the healing of wounds. Finally, walnuts are an excellent source of the minerals manganese and copper both are required for many different processes in the body.

Cranberry Pear Salad  

(Serves 4-6)

Photo by Deven Rue/Flickr

Ingredients:

• 1 green apple, coarsely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, sliced and chopped
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1-16oz can pears, in light syrup, drained and chopped
• 1-16oz can whole cranberry sauce, refrigerated

 Instructions:

1. Toss chopped apple with lemon juice and pour off the excess juice.
2. Add pears, celery and walnuts to the apples and toss.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Just before serving drain off juice and stir in cold cranberry sauce.