I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. See more details here.
Growing up, I can remember my mom making all kinds of different salads. The one I remember the most is her Waldorf Salad, chocked full of apples and mayonnaise. That was all then, but today my foodie lifestyle is so different.
Fast forward a few years and I stopped eating mayonnaise years ago and decided to change the old school Waldor salad out with a healthier version.
With a healthier adopted lifestyle, I invest delectable, rich ingredients. Each chosen ingredient in my tasty Waldorf Salad with Greek Yogurt provides a healthy alternative to those in the old recipe. However, that’s not the only thing I changed up in the recipe!
What makes this tasty Waldorf salad with greek yogurt different from others are the ‘twists’ of ingredients I will share with you. Bolstering a classic is not easy, but it is possible. Wait till you see what else you can add to make this salad burst with flavor! Keep your Waldorf Salad on the healthy munching spectrum. Ready?
Tasty Waldorf Salad With Greek Yogurt
Simply put, there’s no way mayo was crossing my lips. I hate the flavor and what it does to my body. It’s not a healthy component for any recipe, yet it still exists. If you ask me, it is one ingredient that needs to be banished from the shelves in the stores.
Time to get off of my soapbox and no more on my personal opinion, other than you can now figure out why I practiced my new recipe and used it for a few years before I presented it. In fact, I even shared it with my family (parents, grandparents, etc) who grew up on the original Waldorf salad.
Changing things Up on this Tasty Waldorf Salad With Greek Yogurt
A Word About Apples
I have never met an apple I did not like. That said, choose apples that you love. Maybe you are a Gala Fan or a Jonathan Apple kind of person. Great, buy them!
If you prefer a golden delicious or Empire State, get them.
Don’t just use plain old apples, that is boring. I add anything I have in the fruit drawer as far as apples go. The only one that is a bit of a stinker when it comes to taste is the Granny Smith, she’s definitely a more sour toad.
Not quite sure if you really want to toss one of those in, however, your salad, so it is your choice!
As far as I am concerned if it is in the Apple Drawer, it is going in the salad. The only rules that apply to apples are washing them thoroughly before slicing. Also, don’t take the skin off, that is a waste of time and not how to prepare this fabulous and easy to make Waldorf Salad.
Greek Yogurt
Now to be fair, if you asked me to chomp down a Greek Yogurt spoon by the spoonful, I’d gag and probably puke. I totally don’t like the texture, but add it as a sub-in for mayo and suddenly it’s a horse of another color so to speak.
However, there is LESS sugar in Greek yogurt and more PROTEIN so it’s all spoons in to dig for the treasure of a healthier lifestyle! (what a dork I am, lol!)
Perhaps it’s less thick going down because it is spread amongst all the apple chunks? Ahhh, now you feel like you know me, I’ve been so honest it’s brutal and you may not feel like eating.
Or perhaps you are so much like me, you can’t believe it. Or am I like you? Whichever, keep reading there’s more to this story and recipe.
Don’t go pick up plain greek yogurt. Why would anyone do that? There’s a world of flavors out there, choose something that speaks to you. Alright, just choose the flavor that spoke to me so you can make the same Waldorf Salad.
I chose Original Greek Dannon Light and Fit Toasted Coconut Vanilla! Thank goodness I don’t have to say that over and over! It’s the right combo of coconut and vanilla to complement the apple chunks.
The brand does not matter, so much as the flavor you choose. I went with Coconut and you will find out why shortly. Also, coconut is a perfect companion to apples.
Go Nuts
Traditionally, people only used the nuts that were considered ‘proper’ per the recipe. Come on, be original. We are not all clones, bust the mold, be different, go nuts and have fun with this. If you have a nut you like mix it in!
Otherwise, do what I did to create this recipe, and use a 1:1 ratio of almonds and walnuts. Neither were roasted, jsut plain, uncooked and yummy. No salt on them, not processed, just zero shells. YUM.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to stash a handful in your mouth with a good swig of water after! Now you are doing your body good, lol! Yes, I love to kid around but in all seriousness, you can get some great fat in this way as well as that much-needed glass of water you have been avoiding all day for some reason!
I’ll share exact quantities in a minute, so keep reading, there’s more to this whole recipe than just nuts and yogurt!
Coconut What?
My go-to in the milk realm is Coconut Milk. While I will have dairy without a problem, in general I don’t eat ice cream and I don’t just consume it by the cup.
We covered this above. Instead, I use coconut milk on everything and in everything I prepare for myself and my family when Where Niko Travels is not consuming the food.
Coconut Milk is great for helping in that fight against high cholesterol. In my opinion, it graces everything it mixes with, thus, you will see coconut milk in my recipe! If you don’t like it, then sub in your own milk, including Almond Milk.
Chop Like You Mean It
Let’s not make this any harder than it needs to be, just make it and walk away! This leads me to the fun part, anything in this salad is a piece, chunk, or should I say bite-size. So, that means if you are working with the apples, chunk them.
There is no right or wrong cut, just make sure they are pretty much bite size. The nuts are going to be in by the piece. I don’t chop them, I just take them out of the bag and plop them right into the salad. Kapow!
However there is a rule for the celery, and I abide by this celery rule in every single recipe. See I have it in red it must be important! Don’t ignore this step it might save your life!
The CELERY RULE you MUST Follow ALWAYS
When it comes to celery, make sure to devein it first, then chop it to pieces, big, or small, just bit size! This means, take a peeler to the outward side and peel it free of those nasty strings.
Why? My mom was once at a luncheon party and one lady choked on a string and all the ladies rushed her to the hospital. No heimlich maneuver was going to save her. It was mass chaos, and the hospital had to do an emergency procedure to get it out.
From that day forward, my mom taught me to devein celery. Funny, years later at a cooking institute in Pittsburgh that I attended, a very decorated Head Chef and the Director of the program shared a similar story and taught the class how to devein celery.
Learn more about foods you can choke on here! Truly it’s something you need to read to get the validation!
Tasty Waldorf Salad With Greek Yogurt- Le Recipe
Ingredients
3-4 Medium Sized Apples – washed, dried, chopped, with skin on!
A squirt of lemon
4 sticks of celery, rinsed, deveined, chopped.
4 Tablespoons of Dried Mixed Berries (Cranberries, Blueberries, Cherries)
Small Single Serving Container of Original Greek Dannon Light and Fit Toasted Coconut Vanilla
3 Tablespoons of Coconut Milk (or your favorite milk)
1/4 Cup of Raw Almonds + the same of Walnuts (1/4C)
Directions
Add apples to a bowl. Squirt them with lemon and stir. Next, add the celery, and mixed berries. Then add the Greek Yogurt, and coconut milk. Last, add in the nuts and mix well, until everything is coated.
Serve. Refrigerate Leftovers.
ENJOY
Truly, this is a great tasting meal, side dish or snack. The crunch of the apple against the smooth of the yogurt is amazing. You can mix the dried fruit with whatever you have in your pantry. Just do not add too much as it offers a bit of a sugary content I do not choose to promote.
Rather, it is for the chewy texture and the hint of flavor each lends to the salad. Consider serving this at Thanksgiving or any of your holiday parties as its colors celebrate the season! ~ DANA XO
