Vibrant holiday salad with feta, cranberries, nuts, and fresh herbs shaped like a festive tree.
# What you'll need:
→ Base Salad
01 - 2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped
02 - 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
03 - 1 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
04 - 1 small English cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
→ Toppings
06 - ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
07 - ½ cup dried cranberries
08 - ⅓ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish & Serving
15 - Fresh rosemary sprigs for the tree trunk and decoration
16 - Assorted crackers, pita chips, or vegetable sticks for dipping
# Method:
01 - In a large bowl, mix the chopped baby spinach, parsley, dill, cucumber, and scallions until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the chopped greens and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Transfer the salad to a large serving platter and form into a triangular shape resembling a holiday tree.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese uniformly over the salad to simulate snow.
06 - Distribute dried cranberries, chopped toasted nuts, and pomegranate seeds across the tree to represent ornaments.
07 - Place fresh rosemary sprigs at the base to create the tree trunk and enhance visual appeal.
08 - Present immediately alongside assorted crackers, pita chips, or vegetable sticks for dipping.
