hearty & healthy autumn salad
recipes for candied nuts, turkey apple parmesan meatballs, and the coziest fall salad + dressing to leave you feeling warm & cozy
Hello, my lovelies,
I hope you are all doing wonderful today! It is officially October, which means it’s officially time to bring out all of those amazing fall veggies we’ve been waiting to use again all year (or maybe that’s just me speaking for myself). Either way, this salad is probably the warmest welcome you’ll get into feeling like the fall season, truly, it feels like a warm hug straight to your belly.
I’m currently in Paris right now staying with my boyfriend for two weeks while I work online and visit him, and one of my dear friends as well, who is also visiting here. With that said, one of the most special things for me to do while traveling is go to the grocery stores and find their local products. I love to see what’s best in season for them, and especially the different items.
After seeing what was in store, I needed to make this fall salad. Between the pomegranates, the pumpkins, the nuts and seeds galore, oh my! Plus, with the mixture of cloudy days here as well, there was really no other answer than a warm and cozy salad to have for lunch. Especially due to the fact that our tummies needed a break from the ungodly (but wonderful) amount of carbs and wine we’ve been taking in these past few days — thank you, France.
This recipe did take about an hour to make, so just be aware of that from the start — mostly because the sweet potatoes take so long to bake. However, each part takes time of its own. Between the meatballs, the chopping of the fruit and veggies, and the candying of the nuts, it all takes a little bit of work and time. Well worth it though!
I do also like to double the batch and have it for leftovers the next day. This recipe fed two people for two medium-sized salads, and the meatballs made about 14, so keep that in mind when portioning your meal out!
I hope that you enjoy these four recipes and continue to mix and match all four of them throughout the holiday season. So let’s get into this semi-quick, semi-easy recipe, shall we?
Ingredients
Turkey Apple Parm Meatballs
500g ground turkey
1 egg
1 apple
¼ cup parmesan
¼ cup breadcrumbs
Herb seasoning or fresh parsley if you have it
(To make it extra seasoned, you can add ¼ teaspoon of allspice as well.)
Salad
1 gourmet lettuce mixture bag
1/2 bag of arugula
1 pear
1 apple
Candied nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Feta or goat cheese
1/2 sliced red onion
Baked sweet potato or pumpkin
Pomegranate seeds
Salad Dressing
½–1 tablespoon honey
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon allspice or pumpkin spice
Juice of ½ an orange
Juice of ½ a lemon
Swiss Honey Pecans
1 tablespoon Swiss honey (doesn’t have to be Swiss, but this honey tastes so splendid — it’s truly amazing if you can your hands on it)
⅓ cup pecans (or you can use walnuts)
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or allspice
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (215°C).
Chop your sweet potato into one-inch cubes (or ½ inch if you like them smaller). Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you’d like to add some sweetness and spice, you can also throw in some allspice or a bit of honey to make them extra sweet and crispy. Bake for about 45 minutes and keep checking on them toward the end until they’re tender. Stir halfway through the time.Prepare the meatballs.
Grab all of your ingredients for the meatballs. Add everything except the meat into a large bowl and mix until the egg is fully broken and combined. Then add the turkey and gently mix with your hands until just combined — try not to overmix.
Form the mixture into 1-inch balls (or up to 2 inches if you prefer larger ones, but note they’ll take longer to cook). Set aside.Make the candied pecans.
Mix all of the ingredients for your candied pecans or nuts of choice in a bowl. Either pan-fry for about 6–8 minutes (until the honey is melted but not burnt), or bake them in the oven with the sweet potatoes for about 6 minutes — just keep checking so they don’t burn. Once done, set aside on parchment paper to cool.Mix the dressing.
Combine all of the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.Prep the salad ingredients.
Dice the pear and apple into small ½-inch bite-sized pieces. Slice the red onion. Cut or crumble your block of feta.Cook the meatballs.
Once the potatoes have about 15 minutes left, start cooking the meatballs. Heat a pan over medium to medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the meatballs all together or in batches, making sure they cook evenly. Flip each one to different sides for 15–20 minutes until fully cooked through. You can test one to make sure it’s no longer pink inside.Assemble the salad.
Once the meatballs and sweet potatoes are done, let them cool slightly. In a large bowl, add the lettuce and arugula, followed by the toppings. Pour in the dressing and toss together. Plate the salad and add the meatballs on top. Drizzle extra dressing, olive oil, or lemon juice if desired — and enjoy!
Extra Tips
No breadcrumbs? If you have stale bread, toast it in a toaster until each side is crispy and slightly burnt. Then place it in a bag and crush it into crumbs, or pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds.
Vegetarian version: If making it veggie like me, grab some tofu and use the same herb seasoning you used for the meatballs (or any blend your heart desires — mine includes citrus, onion, garlic, and dried parsley). Toss in olive oil and cook on a skillet until warm and slightly golden.
DIY spice blends: You can make your own pumpkin pie spice or allspice by mixing nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, clove, etc., to mimic the flavor just how you like it!