Christmas Salad

This Christmas salad is packed full of nutrients and flavor with fresh oranges, pomegranate seeds, pecans, Swiss chard and blue cheese with a homemade dressing.


Christmas is coming!  This year, I was asked to host Christmas Day for my husband's family. I have done this for two of the last three years. Last year, something about having a 3 month old baby and 35+ people over was not sounding good so I had to pass on that. This year, while life is super busy with work, blog trips, family events, blog projects, etc., I feel like I can do it.

For Christmas, we do it potluck style so it is not as much work and I do not have to get as overwhelmed. I swear, the biggest part of getting ready for a party is making sure that your home is looking great. I always keep the house tidy but for a party, we make sure to do big deep cleanings so we can feel proud to have people in our home.

Last year, my husband's Aunt hosted Christmas and had a chili party theme where we ate three different chilis, had biscuits, roasted, vegetables, salad, etc. I loved that theme! This year, I am not quite sure what we are going to do yet but I will think of something fun.
I created this Christmas Salad recipe which is healthy and would be perfect for the holidays. Swiss chard is naturally red and green and is rich in vitamin K, A, C, E and magnesium. The pomegranate seeds give a burst of antioxidants along with looking like ornaments. The blue cheese and nuts provide protein and fat which helps to keep you full. Find out how dairy is a great source of protein on the Milk Means More website. The oranges are rich in vitamin C which will help keep your immune system healthy through the holiday season when sickness is so common.

This salad can be prepped ahead of time and thrown together for a party. It is full of flavor and is a great dish for a party because it is a lot healthier than most holiday dishes.

Christmas Salad

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Juice from 1 large orange
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon orange zest

Directions:
1. Over medium heat, add brown sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of water and pecans to a pan. Cook for a few minutes until sugar mixture is thick and pecans are toasted.
2. Combine all ingredients for dressing and whisk well.
3. On a plate, arrange Swiss chard. Top with oranges, pecans, blue cheese and pomegranate seeds. Top with dressing.
Enjoy!


This recipe turned out awesome! It was full of flavor and I loved the different textures including the crunchy pecans, the juicy oranges, the creamy cheese, etc.