Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Salad:

Red leaf lettuce (or mixed greens from the salad section of the grocery store), washed and torn into bite sized pieces

Baby spinach, washed and torn into bite sized pieces

1 to 2 large firm apples, cut up into bite sized pieces (I used a Cortland apple—one of those delicious New York cultivars)

1 to 2 ribs of celery, chopped

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

red or green onion to taste

crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Tear up enough greens to fill a large salad bowl with a 50/50 mix of the lettuce and spinach. Toss in the remaining ingredients except goat cheese and refrigerate until serving time. Dress the salad with Maple Vinaigrette dressing right before serving and garnish with the goat cheese.

Maple Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper