This broccoli salad is fresh and not weighed down by a heavy dressing. The bacon, in addition to just being delicious, gives it a heartiness that makes this perfect for lunch. This would also be great as a summertime side, especially because it can be assembled well before you plan on eating it. This salad keeps for several days in the fridge.

Broccoli Salad

Serves 4-6 as a side

12 -14 oz (about 7 cups) broccoli florets, stalks removed

2 apples (I used Pink Lady but any crisp variety will work well), diced

½ cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

1 generous cup Beecher’s Flagship cheese (or a white cheddar), shredded

6 slices bacon

For the dressing:

1 clove garlic (about 1 tsp), minced

2 Tb cider vinegar

2 Tb lemon juice

1 Tb Dijon mustard

1 Tb honey

½ tsp salt

⅓ cup olive oil

Heat a pan over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add as many slices of bacon as will fit without crowding, and cook until dark and crispy, flipping the slices as needed. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep from burning. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate when done. Continue until all of the bacon is cooked. When cool, slice into thin strips.

In a small bowl combine the minced garlic, cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, and salt. Whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking the mixture. Set aside.

Cut the broccoli into smaller than bite-size pieces. Combine the broccoli florets, apples, dried cherries, walnuts, cheese, and bacon in a large bowl. Drizzle all of the dressing over the top of the ingredients and toss thoroughly to ensure that everything is coated. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.