Green Bean and Avocado Summer Salad

Ingredients

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Shallots

  Raw

  3 ½ oz or 99g

• Garlic

  Raw

  1 cloves, minced or 3g

• Apple juice

  Canned or bottled, unsweetened, with added ascorbic acid

  1 cup or 248g

• Vinegar

  Cider

  ¼ cup or 60g

• Dijon mustard

  Grey poupon

  1 tbsp or 15g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  ¾ cup or 162g

• Salt

  Table

  ½ tsp or 3g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  ¼ tsp or 0.5g

• Whole wheat pasta

  Dry

  8 oz or 227g

• Green beans

  Snap beans, raw

  8 oz or 227g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  1 cup or 237g

• Cranberries

  Sweetened, dried

  ¾ cup or 91g

• Raisins

  Seedless

  ¾ cup (not packed) or 109g

• Almonds

  Nuts, raw

  ½ cup, whole or 71g

• Spinach

  Raw

  4 cup or 120g

• Avocados

  Raw, All commercial varieties

  3 fruit or 603g

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook for 5-6 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute. Add apple juice and cider vinegar, cooking on high for 5 minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and whisk in Dijon mustard, 3/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine green beans with 1 cup of water. Heat over medium until hot. Transfer beans to an ice bath for 2-3 minutes, then dry on a paper towel-lined plate.
4. In a large bowl, combine pasta, green beans, cranberries, raisins, almonds, and spinach. Toss to combine. Portion into 6 servings, top with sliced avocado, and serve with dressing on the side or drizzled over.