‘Tis the summer season for Christmas in July! Be merry and bright while you celebrate the unofficial summer holiday with a festive and refreshing Christmas in July recipe for a Holly Jolly Salad. Moreover, this show-stopping holiday dish will undoubtedly deck your halls with its bright nod to Christmas color.
Topped with honey and mustard-tangy-filled vinaigrette, this simple Christmas in July salad is flavored with cranberries and mandarin oranges and loaded with fresh greens. Along with its yuletide hues, this merry dish incorporates crumbles of salty and tangy feta cheese, along with sliced almonds for some delightful crunch.
Christmas Salad is a lighter twist on traditional Christmas fare. However, home cooks can pair this easy summer salad with chicken or steak for a heartier meal.
Beat The Heat with Christmas Salad
Christmas Salad is brimming with holiday cheer and healthy ingredients! Unlike many traditional Christmas foods, you won’t have to feel guilty when you have a second helping of this perfect Christmas in July recipe.
Mandarin Oranges: Juicy and utterly delicious, mandarin oranges are jam-packed with Vitamin C, which is essential in controlling infections within the body and healing wounds. Additionally, oranges have been proven to help ward off inflammation and combat chronic illness.
Cranberries: Cranberries are well known for their ability to fight urinary tract infections. Additionally, cranberries also prevent infection by bacteria associated with oral and periodontal diseases and stomach ulcers. Furthermore, cranberries can protect against many other conditions such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Fresh Greens: According to Harvard Health, the darker the green, the more nutrients the greens contain. Regardless, fresh leafy greens are a rich source of vitamins and minerals no matter what you choose. For example, salad greens contain vitamins A, C, and K, several B vitamins, and potassium.
How To Prepare a Holly Jolly Christmas Salad
Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 10 min
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Christmas Salad
- 4 seedless mandarin oranges
- 12 ounces fresh spring greens
- 2/3 cup pre-sliced almonds
- 2/3 cup feta cheese
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Supplies
- small bowl
- whisk
- large bowl
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Next, peel and segment the four mandarin oranges. Discard the peels. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the fresh greens, followed by the mandarin orange slices, sliced almonds, feta cheese, and dried cranberries. Drizzle the honey mustard vinaigrette over the top of the salad, toss to coat, or serve to the side.
Cooking Tips While Aging in Place
Our recipe calls for peeled and segmented mandarin oranges, which may be challenging for some seniors due to hand and wrist mobility.
For seniors who have difficulty with kitchen prep, canned mandarin oranges make an excellent alternative to fresh mandarin oranges. Furthermore, they’re an excellent option for when mandarin oranges aren’t in peak season. However, be aware of the sugar content. Search for labels that state there is “no added sugar” in the can.”
If you’re opposed to cranberries, simply swap them out for another fruit. We recommend; raspberries, strawberries, sliced apples, or blueberries for this recipe.
Our honey mustard vinaigrette is another perfect Christmas in July recipe that is easy to prepare with only five ingredients. Yet, it’s also easy to adjust to taste. For a milder vinaigrette, we recommend using either white wine or champagne vinegar. Furthermore, maple syrup can be used in place of honey, and garlic can be added for more punch.
