Fall-Inspired Salads

Fall is here. There’s a real chill is in the air, and pumpkin spice has taken over just about everything. Seriously, I saw a sign the other day for pumpkin spice LUMBER. I’m fairly sure they were joking, but who can really tell at this point.

While I firmly know where I stand when it comes to the pumpkin spice phenomena, I have been struggling with healthy lunch options in this chillier weather. I consider myself lucky that I actually crave salad in the warmer months, and I usually pull one together for lunch most weekdays. As soon as the leaves begin to turn, though, my cravings turn with them. Mac and cheese, chili, and hearty pasta dishes sound way more tempting than some roughage this time of year.

Well, I’ve found the answer, so I have to share! I hit the market this week and blindly scooped up my routine tub of spring mix, and then my eyes started to wander across all of the seasonal produce. Instead of grabbing my usual cucumbers, carrots, and peppers, I loaded my cart with lots of autumn-themed ingredients to whip uo some fall-inspired salads ready for the cold weather! Brussel sprouts, butternut squash, apples, and pears. I added dried cranberries, and a few other things for crunch and I was set!

I created lots of different variations of these fall-inspired salads, and all of them filled the void that my summer salads had left. The best part? Super easy prep! The squash, bacon, and Brussel sprouts can be cooked ahead for the week, and the cranberries, goat cheese, nuts, and chickpeas require no prep at all! Wanting to add even more substance and variation? Use these as toppings for a grain bowl! Using cooked quinoa, farro, or barley is another way to keep your lunch super interesting, and satisfying.

Here are some of my favorite combos for fall-inspired salads:

Brussel Sprout, Bacon & Chickpea

Apple, Pecan, Cranberry & Goat Cheese

Pear, Pecan, Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese

Apple, Pear, Cranberry & Pecan

Butternut Squash, Bacon, Apple, Pecan & Goat Cheese

To make things easy for you when you’re shopping for these fall-inspired salads, here’s a list of all of ingredients I snagged. Grab these and you’re on your way to tasty fall lunches!

Spring Mixed Greens

Butternut Squash

Apples

Pears

Brussel Sprouts

Bacon

Goat Cheese

Pecans

Dried Cranberries

Other add-in ideas for your fall-inspired salad:

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Hardboiled Egg

Feta Cheese

Sweet Potato

Mushrooms

Now it’s time to dress your fall-inspired salads creation! Here recipes for three of my go-to dressings for fall:

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

¾ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 ½ tbs Honey

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Cinnamon Yogurt Dressing

½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 ½ tsp Lemon Zest

1 ½ tsp Lemon Juice

2 ¼ tbs Honey

¼ tsp Cinnamon

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

¾ cup Olive Oil

1 tbs Honey

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Now, put down your boring lunch, and tap into the season with fall-inspired salads! Enjoy!

Final image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:72644383, copyright:Anna_Shepulova