Autumn Spinach Salad, the best fall salad recipe with fresh spinach, blue cheese, pecans, red onion, pear, and an easy sweetened dijon vinaigrette.
This post is sponsored by SPLENDA®. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting brands I love so I can keep bringing you more fabulous recipes!
Fall is here, and I have a fabulous Autumn Spinach Salad for you all today. Full of fresh flavors like baby spinach, toasted nuts, crumbled blue cheese, red onion slices, fresh pear, and mixed with an easy homemade dijon vinaigrette sweetened with SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener. This spinach salad is like Autumn in a bowl. You will want to put this salad not only on your holiday menu, but your weekly menu!
Hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner, isn’t it? I’m super excited about all the holiday baking and cooking; actually, I’ve already gotten started. That’s not strange, right? This year is going to be a little different for me. Unfortunately, I had a small scare at the doctor’s office earlier this year. Everything turned out ok, but knowing diabetes and other conditions run in my family, I knew I had to take my health a bit more seriously.
Conducting a healthy lifestyle is a daily struggle, but I’m doing great. I have my occasional setbacks, but I’m eating healthier, exercising more, and watching my sugar intake. I’m eating a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables, and less sugar and desserts on a daily basis. I know, no fun right? Wrong! I feel better than ever and there are so many food possibilities. I’m still enjoying some treats on occasion, but I’m eating better on a regular basis and swapping out sugar where I can.
When I agreed to swap out sugar for SPLENDA® Sweetener Products I was excited to come up with a few recipes. It’s so easy to swap out sugar with SPLENDA® Sweetener Products. No strange formulas to follow when changing recipes, and no extra ingredients to add when using it for cooking or baking. The products bake, cook, and pour just like sugar and there’s fewer calories. Couldn’t be easier.
With all the upcoming holiday baking and cooking, who couldn’t use a little more “easy” in their life? SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend, and SPLENDA® Sugar Blend are all good substitutes to swap for sugar in all your favorite recipes. Want to start swapping your sugar? Sweet Swaps is a great site to check out with lots of tips, tricks, and recipes about swapping out the sugar in your diet.
So let’s talk about this Autumn Spinach Salad recipe! I’ve been making this salad and vinaigrette for years. This spinach salad is bursting with flavor and fresh ingredients including loads of fresh spinach, toasted pecans, sliced fresh pears, crumbled blue cheese, and red onion slices. How easy is that? It’s the perfect fall dish. It’s a great side dish for any meal OR as a main dish. You could even add a little precooked chicken for a heartier main dish.
After you get your salad together, make the vinaigrette in a separate bowl. Typically, there’s a lot of added sugar in the dressing. I generally use granulated sugar, but I thought I’d swap out the sugar in the recipe for SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener.
The salad dressing is super easy and only takes a few minutes to put together. Most of the ingredients you probably have in your house. The salad turned out fabulous! I really couldn’t tell the difference without the sugar and neither could my family. It was just as delicious as ever. There’s a good chance that if you’re at my house this fall you’ll be having this salad. :)
Here’s to a healthy and happy holiday season! Hope you enjoy my Autumn Spinach Salad!
Be sure to check SPLENDA® products out on social media including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Follow the fun with #SweetSwaps and post your own sweet swaps! Can’t wait to see what you all come up with!
Autumn Spinach Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad:
- 12 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves washed & dried (about 12 cups)
- 2 ripe pears cored & thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves toasted
- 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 small red onion peeled & thinly sliced
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener granulated
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a large serving bowl, toss together spinach, pear slices, pecan halves, blue cheese, and red onion sliced until well combined.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, SPLENDA<sup>®</sup>, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in olive oil until well combined.
- Pour desired amount of dressing over salad, and toss to combine. Serve with any remaining dressing.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Lara Paschalidis says
Darn it Lisa – I just went to the grocery store twice today and now you are going to make me go back and get all of this. Looks awesome – can’t wait to try it out – I LOVE SPINACH SALADS!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Lara! I love spinach salads too! The grocery store twice in one day? Oh my, sounds like something I would do. :)
Merry Graham says
Your salad looks perfect for a party I will soon be having. Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Merry! Hope the party goes well! :)
Amy says
Love the easy swap to make it fewer calories!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Amy!
Dawn says
Lisa- another beautiful and healthy creation! I have most of the ingredients on hand already so also easy!
Lisa Huff says
You’re so sweet Dawn, thank you! Hope you enjoy!
Lisa Keys says
Have never used splenda. Salad looks delicious
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Lisa!
Carole Resnick says
I have a similar recipe with dried cranberries, mandarin oranges. candied pecans and blue cheese crumbles, Cranberry Vinagrette.
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Carole! Your salad sounds fantastic too!
Julie S says
Yippee! I just bought a huge pack of baby spinach! I might try with apples and walnuts instead (pears and pecans look delish, but going to give it a shot with what I have on hand.
Lisa Huff says
Apples and walnuts would be great too!
Dawnmarie says
Looks delish! Spinach looks super fresh! Dressing with Splenda is a must try for me!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks! Hope you enjoy! :)
Selmin says
This is one of my favorite ways to get my daily quotient of blue cheese. Mmm, mmmm, good!!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Selmin! Funny, I never liked blue cheese growing up and now I love it. :)
Kris {Driven by Decor} says
This looks amazing!! And I love that you cut out the sugar and a bunch of calories – will definitely try it out!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Kris! Hope you enjoy!
Angela Lowy says
If I had spinach in my fridge, I’d make it today! Looks yummy and pretty too!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Angela! You should always have fresh spinach in your fridge. ;)
Cathy W says
I love this combination of crunchy nuts, pears, and cheese….it’s even better when you can cut back on the sugar!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Cathy! Yes so much better when you cut back on the sugar.
Lisa says
Would goat cheese be a good substitute for blue cheese, I’ve never been that find of blue cheese?
Lisa Huff says
Hi Lisa! Yes, goat cheese would be great too. I never liked blue cheese growing up and now love it. Maybe give it another try or definitely go for the goat cheese.
L.Fox says
Looks so delish! Making this tonite!! Thanks
Lisa Huff says
thanks! Hope you enjoy!
Andrea Topalian says
That looks so delicious and perfect for Fall! I can taste it already. That vinagrette looks delicious for other salads too and so easy! BTW- I absolutely love your food photography. You always make the food come alive!
Lisa Huff says
You’re so sweet, thank you!