Apple and Persimmon Salad with Chinese 5 Spice Cornbread Croutons

Monday already?! We had such a great Halloween weekend!

We didn't even get dressed up or do anything rowdy but it was great. On Friday we went and took my Nanna out for dinner which is always such a treat. I never ever get tired of being close to family and for these opportunities. Plus, Nanna is like going out with another twenty-something so it's great.

Saturday we started some house projects for our new place! If you followed on insta stories you saw all of our kitchen shelf shenanigans! I can't wait to bring you guys some more rental content. I know when I start to decorate a new room I scan pinterest and blogs to find all the best resources. I hope you guys enjoy the room makeovers as much as I do!

While we didn't go to a crazy party we did sneak in some pumpkin carving between shelve staining and organizing. I made an owl carving and jared did a spooky face. They actually turned out really cool. Carving pumpkins is by far my favorite Halloween activity. I don't have to scrape makeup off my face at the end of night or ingest a ton treats full of food coloring. Is it just me or does food coloring in desserts freak you out too?! Gosh, I sound like I'm getting really old. Ha! #slowdown25. 

I've got kind of a nutty week ahead of me so I thought we would start Monday on a fresh note! Tomorrow I have a huge lifestyle video shoot for a super fun collaboration with Keurig and about half a dozen other recipes to shoot. Everything is already gearing up for the holidays and I do not feel ready yet folks! I figured a really colorful fall salad would start me on the right foot!

The star of the show in today's apple and persimmon salad are these gorgeous persimmons! Do you guys like persimmons? Or better yet, have you ever had one?! I wasn't too familiar with persimmons up until recent years but I really like them! I know they might look intimidating but they really zest up a dish and make it unique! They have a pretty sweet flavor to them and run on the softer side as far as texture goes. 

The persimmons paired really well with the blue cheese chunks in this salad! So if you like blue cheese but are foreign with the persimmons this might be a good way to try them out! I love a salad that has every kind of texture! Boring salads are the worst, am I right?! We had this salad during the week as a side for our dinners but it would be so nice for a fall dinner party or even Thanksgiving! 

Before I leave you with the recipe below I wanted to chat about these Chinese 5 spice cornbread croutons! Say that five times fast, I dare ya. 

I think Chinese 5 spice is one of those spices that are probably overlooked when you're shopping. It's got this really nice warmth to it that is perfect for the fall season. It is usually a blend of cinnamon, clove, fennel, star anise, black pepper and ginger. It can be added into sweet and savory dishes for an unexpected flavor. I added a little bit into my standard cornbread recipe to give it a twist. The salad would be great with just regular cornbread croutons but if you're feeling up for something unique give it a try!

Apple and Persimmon Salad with Chinese 5 Spice Cornbread Croutons

croutons
1 Cup of cornmeal
3/4 Cup of all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon of salt
2 Teaspoons of Chinese five spice
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar or honey
1 Egg
1 Cup of whole milk
1/4 Cup of butter melted
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & pepper

salad
3 Cups of arugula
2 Cups of mixed greens
1-2 Cups of chopped rodicio
2 Carrots, ribboned with potato peeler
1-2 Tablespoons of chopped sage
1 Apple, thinly sliced
1 Persimmon thinly sliced
1 Cup of cooked faro or other grain
1/2 Cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 Cup of blue cheese crumbles
1 Cup of Chinese five spice croutons
Pomegranate seeds for sprinkling

dressing
1/2 Cup of olive oil
1/4 Cup of apple cider vinegar
Zest from half an orange
1 Tablespoon of fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon of honey
1 Teaspoon of freshly cracked pepper
1 Teaspoon of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 F and grease a small baking sheet. 
Sift dry crouton ingredients into a bowl. In a separate large bowl whisk eggs, melted butter, honey and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients but do not over mix. Pour batter into baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool croutons and cut into cubes. Return cooled crouton cubes to baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake for an additional 20 minutes at 425F or until crusted and golden brown. 

In a small mason jar add in all dressing ingredients and shake well for 20 seconds. Chill until serving salad. Lasts 2-3 days in refrigerator. 

In a large bowl arrange all salad ingredients and pour dressing on right before serving.