Vibrant holiday salad with feta, cranberries, nuts, and fresh herbs shaped like a festive tree.
# Components:
→ Base Salad
01 - 2 cups finely chopped baby spinach
02 - 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
03 - 1 cup finely chopped fresh dill
04 - 1 small English cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
→ Toppings
06 - 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
07 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/3 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 decoration
16 - Assorted crackers, pita chips, or vegetable sticks for dipping
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, mix the finely chopped spinach, parsley, dill, diced cucumber, and sliced scallions until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until thoroughly emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the mixed greens and toss gently to coat all ingredients uniformly.
04 - Transfer the dressed salad onto a large serving platter and arrange it into a triangle shape resembling a holiday tree.
05 - Evenly sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the salad, simulating snow on the tree.
06 - Adorn the salad with dried cranberries, toasted nuts, and optional pomegranate seeds to create festive ornaments.
07 - Place fresh rosemary sprigs at the base to simulate the tree trunk and add a decorative touch.
08 - Present immediately alongside assorted crackers, pita chips, or vegetable sticks for dipping.
