Broccoli Apple Salad with Creamy Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Today I’m sharing this delicious spin on Broccoli Apple Salad – a version that sports a creamy, luxurious dressing, but without mayo. It’s so good.

But today, I want to talk about more than just food. I want to talk about hunger.

Did you know that 1 in 5 of kids in America go hungry on a regular basis? That on an average school day, 21 million children must rely on free or reduced-price lunches or they would go hungry? Does that boggle your mind like it does mine? How is that even possible?

Albertsons/Safeway asked me to share today about Hunger Is, a charitable program designed to help increase awareness and, ultimately, eradicate the childhood hunger in our country. As a mom, the idea of my child leaving home hungry every morning is excruciating, and the fact that it’s happening all to often makes me want to get out there and help those families in need.

In the month of September, Safeway is running a campaign in stores to help shoppers contribute in two ways:

1.) Donate right at the register: When checking out at your local Albertsons or Safeway, your cashier can guide you through the process. Easy peasy. Note that the donation option is only happening at Albertsons/Safeway stores in the Eastern, Intermountain, Northern California, Southwest, and Shaws/Star divisions.

But even easier is the second option, available everywhere:

2.) Simply purchase products from participating brands! Each item purchased contributes one meal to a family in need. Many of the products you already know and love are included, so it’s a win/win.

Participating brands include:

• Con Agra, which includes Marie Calender’s, Healthy Choice, Bertolli’s and PF Changs brands
• Coke
• Unilever
• Kellogg’s
• Campbell’s

For this Broccoli Apple Salad, I chose Bertolli olive oil. It was so cool to know I helped a child in need by doing so.

So about this salad.

First off: Broccoli and apples may seem like a weird combination (I know I wasn’t sure about it initially), but this salad is all over Pinterest and this salad received great reviews – and they both really do look delicious – so I thought I’d give a version a whirl. I’m glad I did! This Broccoli Apple Salad with Creamy Tahini-Lemon Dressing is sort of like a mash-up of Broccoli Raisin Salad and classic Waldorf salad, but without the mayo.

I left the mayo out because I wanted to a healthier version, and I thought a creamy, almost nutty vinaigrette would really make the ingredients shine. Olive oil is, of course, a must in vinaigrette dressing, and I included some lemon juice to add zing (and to help keep the apples from turning brown when the salad is made ahead of time). Tahini whisked in makes this dressing super creamy and full of flavor – so good.

The crunch of the broccoli and apples along with the chewy sweetness of the raisins are set off perfectly by the dressing. I think I’ve found my new favorite potluck salad.

Hunger is

Don’t forget to shop Safeway/Albertsons to donate directly and purchase participating products. The campaign ends September 30, 2015.

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Broccoli Apple Salad with Creamy Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Author: Kare

This crunchy, fresh salad comes together in a flash. It's the perfect healthy option for parties and potlucks.

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Ingredients

For the Creamy Tahini-Lemon Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Broccoli Apple Salad:

• 1 medium head broccoli (about 1 pound, cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups))
• 3 medium apples (I recommend gala, pink cripps, or fuji cored and cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1/2 small red onion (diced (about 1/3 cup))
• 1/3 cup golden raisins (dried cranberries also work)
• 1/4 cup candied sliced almonds (plain sliced almonds, unsalted pepitas, or unsalted sunflower seeds)

Instructions

• First, make the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• Assemble the salad. Add the broccoli, apples, onion, and raisins to a large bowl and stir gently to combine.
• Pour the dressing over the top and stir gently until everything's coated with the dressing. At this point you can refrigerate the salad for several hours before serving.
• Just before serving, sprinkle the nuts or seeds over the top.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Albertsons Safeway . The opinions and text are all mine.