It’s that time of year already, apple season is upon us! I think I may be in the minority when I say I might get more excited about the apples than pumpkins this time of year. GASP! I know right? While everyone else is going pumpkin crazy, I am quietly enjoying and celebrating the often-forgotten apple! This year I am lucky enough to have a small apple tree in our yard, that has already given me a few apples. Honestly, if you saw this tree, that would shock you. It is barely 3 and a half feet tall and really nothing spectacular, but it must be healthy, hearty and well since we’ve already gotten 4 big apples from it and it has another few that will be ready soon.

Since we won’t be getting a ton of apples from our tree, I wanted to make something that would highlight and use just one apple in a very special way. I didn’t want to just juice it or mix it up in a cake or some muffins. When I was offered the opportunity to try Stella Artois’ newest beverage, a delicious Apple Cidre, I was inspired to make a light and savory fall salad to pair with it.

Stella Artois Apple Cidre is a European-style cider made from fresh, hand-picked red apples with accents of peach, apricot, and orange. The crisp, and refreshing taste paired perfectly with this light, fresh salad.  I will for sure be serving the two together at our next BBQ if we still have apples from the our tree. My favorite part of the Cidre is how it instantly brings me to the feeling of the fall that I grew up with back east! Something I am going to miss intensely this year! This Cidre has a hint of spice and the perfect apple flavor and it isn’t overly sweet like some ciders can be and it is far lighter and more natural tasting than most every other hard cider I have tried. It’s basically a grown-up spiked, sparkling apple juice! Plus, the best part is, like most hard ciders, Stella Artois’ Apple Cidre is naturally gluten-free. BONUS! Back in the day, I used to love Stella Artois’ signature lager, it was one of my go-to beers, but after going gluten-free nearly 9 years ago, I haven’t been able to enjoy it. So as you can imagine, I was super excited to see they had introduced a naturally gluten-free Apple Cidre to the market and of course, even more excited that it tastes so good.

Since it is still a bit warm here as we ease into the fall, I was looking to make something light, fresh and still fall-like, despite the 90º+ temps we’ve had, as of late. This Vegan Waldorf Salad is so simple to make, requires very little prep and it would be the perfect side dish or main at any fall gathering. It highlights the apple flavor of the Stella Artois Cidre perfectly. It is just like the famous traditional version with chicken, created in the 1890s at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, but meat-free and lightened up, a bit. The best part is, it will appeal to vegan and non-vegan eaters alike, I promise! There is a beautiful medley of textures and flavors happening in the salad; a crisp bite from the apples and celery, a crunch from the toasted walnuts and a subtle sweetness from the grapes. All are complimented wonderfully with each sip of the Cidre. A Waldorf salad and a Cidre, gosh it really sounds like it’s getting fancy up in here.

This Cidre would also pair nicely with some grilled end-of summer-veggies and if you are a meat-eater it would be wonderful with some BBQ pork chops or a pork tenderloin. Vegan eaters I think it would be delicious with a homemade veggie burger/patty or veggie lentil “meat” loaf. Think of pairing as you would a crisp, dry sparkling white wine.

I highly recommend checking out Stella Artois’ brand new beverage this fall, especially served with this delicious Vegan Waldorf Salad and remember: It’s Cidre, not cider.

*Please note I am not vegan, I eat a lot of vegan foods, but I am not vegan. This salad IS vegan, but I cannot state with 100% certainty that the Stella Artois Cidre is vegan, if you are vegan I would suggest contacting Stella Artois directly to get the official word on this beverage.

[print_this]Vegan Waldorf Salad {Gluten-free}
serves 2

Salad

• 1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 large apple, cored and diced
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 1 cup micro greens

Dressing

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 30 minutes*
• 1/4-1/2 cup water, you may want more it will depend on how long the cashews soaked for
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Make the dressing:
Drain the soaked cashews and give them a quick rinse. Add all of the ingredients to your blender and process as long as needed until the dressing is smooth and creamy. You may need to add more water, as needed to keep it moving and to thin it out.

Assemble the salad:
Toss the apples, celery, walnuts and grapes with the dressing (you may not need all of it so don’t just dump it on) make sure it is well coated. Serve the salad on two small plates, top with a small amount of the micro greens and garnish the plate with a few more of the walnuts and grapes. Serve immediately with a glass of ice cold Stella Artois Cidre.

* If you’d rather, in place of the cashews, you can also use 1/4 cup of your favorite mayo, vegan mayo or yogurt and leave out the water. [/print_this]

 

 

 

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Stella Artois via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Stella Artois.