Cranberry Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 16 dried apricots
• 1 lb. seedless grapes, cut in half
• 2 apples, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

This salad works best if you do the prep, let it sit overnight, then assemble shortly before eating. Trust me; it will be worth it!

Prep

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Put your mixing bowl and beater in the freezer, and place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator.
2. Wash the cranberries and set a few aside for garnish. Place them in the bowl of a food processor with the dried apricots and grind them until the mixture has the consistency of relish. (It’s OK! Go ahead… sneak a little bite. It’s tangy and delicious!)
3. In a large bowl, toss the cranberry-apricot relish with the cut apples and grapes. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator so they can get to know each other. Forget about them until the next day.
4. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 5-7 minutes until golden. Keep an eye on them; they can burn quickly. This step is optional, but it makes the flavors all that much tastier. When they’re cool, chop the pecans and set aside – be sure to save a few unchopped for garnish. Resist the urge to eat them immediately. If you’re feeling lazy, you can use untoasted pecans; it will be fine.

Assembly

1. When you’re ready to assemble the salad, take your can of coconut milk out of the fridge and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes, then…
2. It’s time to make the whipped cream! Remove the mixing bowl and beater from the freezer, pour the chilled coconut milk into the cold bowl, add the vanilla extract, and beat the mixture on the highest speed of your mixer until it looks like whipped cream. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Marvel at the creaminess!
3. When the cream is done, place the chopped pecans and fruit relish in a large bowl. Gently fold in the whipped cream and garnish with whole cranberries and nuts.
4. Enjoy!