Thanksgiving is a mash-up of traditions in my family.  We are a varied bunch from different cultures, and the food has always reflected that.  But one thing that’s been a staple at our Thanksgivings through the years is Waldorf salad.  We like to mix it up into mock-Waldorf salad by adding a few things of our own, and using the healthier yogurt dressing instead of mayonnaise. 

 

I absolutely hated the celery in the salad when I was younger; I thought it had no business being in such a sweet salad.  Nowadays I love it for the crunch, but you can pick and choose from the ingredients for varying tastes.  Whatever it takes to encourage children to eat it!  Since the original only had apples and celery with the lettuce and dressing, this is now pretty much a whatever-sounds-good-to-you kind of recipe.

 

Mock-Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

• lettuce and/or spinach
• 4 apples, cored and chopped
• 3 cups grapes
• 3 cups walnuts (the sugar-spiced ones are superb here)
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• seeds from 1 pomegranate
• 1 cup plain yogurt (you can add lemon juice or honey to it, to vary the sweetness or tartness)

 

Mix together all fruits, celery, nuts, and yogurt.

Place a bed of greens on each plate.

Plop one half to one cup of yogurt mixture on each serving of salad.

 

If you prefer, mix greens and yogurt mixture ahead of time for a simpler way to serve it at the table.