FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD: SUNSHINE IN EVERY BITE

Are you looking for a vibrant twist on your autumn fare? Meet the Florida Fall Harvest Salad: Sunshine in Every Bite. This delicious fall harvest salad combines the best flavors of Florida’s bright, zesty flavors with the hearty goodness of fall produce. Imagine a medley of crisp greens, juicy citrus, and seasonal crunch—all tossed together to make your taste buds dance. Whether you’re soaking up the last rays of sunshine, sitting by your campfire, or just dreaming of warmer days, this hearty fall harvest salad is your perfect seasonal pick-me-up. Dive in and let the sunshine on your plate bring a splash of warmth to your fall table!

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This AMAZING hearty salad uses ONLY the best delicious fall ingredients like crisp apples, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar while adding the brightness of fresh orange juice and orange blossom honey to the salad dressing for a FLORIDA twist!  One of our favorite dishes during the fall season, this colorful salad makes a FANTASTIC “make-ahead” salad for outdoor adventures or a GREAT work lunch. 

Fall is my favorite season! As soon as August hits I’m pulling out ALL my pumpkin recipes and DASHING out the door to guzzle down Starbuck’s latest and greatest pumpkin concoction and a DELIGHTFUL fall treat. Oh, did I mention I live in Central Florida and it’s STILL 105 degrees!? Fall salads for the win! With so many fall salad recipes, we thought it would be fun to spin a little Florida flare into this main dish. Nothing fancy over here ya’ll! 

For the PERFECT pairing of fall HAPPINESS, our PUMPKIN WHITE CHOCOLATE SCONES WITH A MAPLE BOURBON GLAZE are DELIGHTFUL with this FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD! You’re welcome.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD…

It’s healthy, wholesome, nourishing, and filling! Plus, with tons of crunch, this autumn salad is GORGEOUS and colorful. We know it will be a huge hit and the PERFECT addition to your holiday table this year! 

Packed with all the fresh fall flavors. It uses all the BEST Fall ingredients we love and is customizable. No hard-to-find ingredients because everything can be found at your local grocery store, farmers market, or even in your fall garden! Crunchy apples add a beautiful freshness, dried cranberries add a lovely tartness, roasted sunflower seeds add some depth, and the feta cheese brings a creamy tanginess to bring it all together. It’s a beautiful marriage of fall flavors. Not to mention the brightness of fresh orange juice and depth of sweetness the orange blossom honey adds!

A delicious homemade orange and apple cider vinaigrette. This light and bright fresh dressing elevates this green salad. It’s quick and healthy without all the fillers and preservatives found in store bought dressings. Made with extra virgin olive oil and a splash of orange juice for extra flavor, by making it fresh, you can make just the amount you need. Did I mention this makes the best marinade!?

PRO TIP- Place your chicken and the Florida Sunshine Vinaigrette in a gallon freezer bag. Place in your freezer. When ready to use, pull it out, and as it defrosts, it’ll make your chicken super marinated and moist. PERFECT to throw in your cooler for an easy grilled campfire meal!

Serve this favorite fall salad warm or cold. This fast-casual salad can be enjoyed with your chicken breast warm or cold, your choice! If you have time, marinate your chicken in extra dressing. Bake on a large cookie sheet until golden brown or in a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. If you plan to serve it cold, once baked place it in an air-tight container until ready to top your salad.

It’s healthy, wholesome, nourishing, and filling! Plus, with tons of crunch, this autumn salad is GORGEOUS and colorful. Put this right next to the green bean casserole! 

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS FOR THIS FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD.

To make this seriously delicious Florida Fall Harvest Salad, we will need the following ingredients.

• spring mix – you can substitute with any other salad greens such as baby kale, romaine, or even shaved Brussels sprouts would be tasty.
• fresh apples – Granny Smith and Honeycrisp or whatever you have on hand.
• sunflower seeds – pumpkin seeds would also be delightful.
• caramelized walnuts – switch out with pecans or leave them out entirely.
• dried cranberries – dried cherries would be festive.
• feta cheese – GREAT substitute would be goat cheese to add creaminess or a nice blue cheese.
• chicken breast – substitute with rotisserie or precooked strips. 
• crispy thick cut bacon– precooked bacon makes this a breeze.
• Maple syrup
• lemon juice

FOR THE FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD SUNSHINE VINAIGRETTE…

• orange juice – fresh is best but any will do.
• apple cider vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil – avocado oil is a great substitute.
• Dijon mustard
• orange blossom honey – swap out with regular honey or maple syrup.
• garlic
• sea salt and pepper 

HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS FLORIDA  FALL HARVEST SALAD.

​With just a few simple steps and minimal prep, you’ll have an Instagrammable-worthy fall harvest salad in no time. So grab a salad bowl and put on some Kenny G and let’s do this! 

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First things first. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F if you are baking your chicken breast. Run and grab all your ingredients and a large bowl. Turn up the music and let’s get this party started! I mean, it’s time to assemble our FAVORITE FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD!

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Bake the chicken breast and the bacon. ​Generously salt, pepper, and garlic your chicken breast. Bake at 350 degrees F until fully cooked. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, this should take roughly 20 minutes. Place in fridge to cool if you are not adding it hot to the harvest salad. Bake the bacon at the same time as the chicken. Once done, chop both. (Save THAT bacon grease Friends! It’s LIQUID GOLD!)

Make the candied walnuts. Place walnuts and maple syrup in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Stir walnuts and maple syrup continuously for a few minutes as the walnuts toast up and the maple syrup caramelizes. This should only take 3-5 minutes and you will smell a lovely toasted walnut smell. Remove from heat immediately and dump onto a plate so they can cool and no longer continue to cook.

Chop and slice your apples. ​Toss in lemon juice to prevent browning. ( GREAT idea if packing in a mason jar for later!)

Combine the rest of the salad ingredients. In a large salad bowl, combine the spring mix, chicken breast, apples, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, dried cranberries, crispy bacon, and caramelized walnuts.

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Add the delicious FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD SUNSHINE VINAIGRETTE.  In a mason jar with a lid, add together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, orange blossom honey, dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Shake well until everything is emulsified. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.  Even though this is an AMAZING and TASTY salad vinaigrette, no one likes a soggy salad so add just a bit, toss, taste, and move on.

VARIATIONS FOR THIS FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD.

• Adding roasted butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and roasted beets and omitting the chicken, cheese, crispy bacon, and honey would make a hearty plant-based salad.
• Swap out your seeds for pomegranate seeds. TASTY.
• Walnuts aren’t your jam!? No worries! An easy swap would be pecans.
• This Maple and Dijon with smoked paprika salad dressing would be fantastic!
• Skip cooking the chicken and grab a bag of fajita chicken strips. Easy breezy.
• Make a SUPER version for the ULTIMATE Thanksgiving side dish!

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LET’S TAKE THIS FALL HARVEST SALAD OUTDOORS FOR AN EASY CAMPING MEAL!

​THIS salad makes a simple and easy camping meal to prep ahead. Let’s go!

Grab a couple of quart-size mason jars and lids. We prefer these mason jar lids. Once you have all the salad ingredients it’s time to assemble. The key to keeping these salads fresh is how you layer your ingredients.

On the bottom, add your dressing. Next, add your chopped chicken, crispy bacon, and apples. Moving up the jar add the caramelized walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, spring mix, and last, feta cheese. I like to have the greens on the top so when you pour into a bowl, the spring mix is on the bottom and the dressing on the top. 

Store in your cooler or refrigerator at camp and enjoy this FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD around the campfire! Because it’s fall. 

HOW TO STORE THIS FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD.

Make ahead instructions: To make this fall harvest salad ahead of time, roast the chicken, prep the ingredients (toss the apple in lemon juice to prevent browning), and make the dressing. Store in separate airtight containers. When ready to serve, assemble the salad, and toss it with the dressing.

How to store: This salad is best eaten fresh since the Florida Sunshine Vinaigrette will start to soften the greens. If by chance you have leftovers, store them for up to 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. But let’s be honest, you’re gonna gobble this salad up!

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE THIS FLORIDA FALL HARVEST SALAD THAT IS SUNSHINE IN EVERY BITE!?

Ready to brighten up your meal routine? This Florida Fall Harvest Salad: Sunshine in Every Bite is the perfect blend of autumn comfort and tropical flair. It’s a refreshing reminder that the best parts of fall can be both vibrant and delicious. Whether you’re enjoying it as a light lunch, at camp, or a festive side, this salad will add a splash of sunshine to any occasion. So, toss up some Florida charm and let every bite bring a bit of sunshine to your table! 

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