Very Tas Very Modern Waldorf Salad

From time to time classic dishes can stand a bit of reinvention, so here's a modern-style waldorf salad. We can do ditch the gunky mayonnaise thank you and also make use of delicious seasonal pears. It's a good make-and-take salad, can also be conveniently be prepared the day before.

Ingredients
1 ripe pear
1 apple (any variety, though I like red-skinned for colour)
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/2 cup water
2 sticks celery
2 small or 1 large carrot
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup raisins
8 leaves fresh mint
dressing:
1 Tbs red wine or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs walnut or macadamia oil
1 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Mix the juice of half a lemon with half a cup of water and place in a bowl.
2. Core the apple and pear, leave skin on. Chop both into fingernail-sized cubes and place in the bowl. Toss gently so all pieces are covered with water/lemon mixture. Allow to sit while you do the rest of the preparation.
3. Slice the celery sticks finely. Grate the carrot. Chop the walnuts into pieces, not too fine. Chiffonade the mint by rolling the leaves up and the cutting across them finely.
4. Prepare the dressing by putting all the dressing ingredients into a small blender and giving them a whizz. Or put them in a jar and shake vigorously.
5. Drain the apple and pear pieces, then combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Makes 4 side-salad portions, or 2 lunch-sized portions. Serve with a dark bread like rye or pumpernickel.
SuperTassievore: substitute fresh or dried blueberries for the raisins.
Nutfree: subtitute sesame oil for the nut oil; substitute sunflower kernels or pumpkin seeds for the walnut pieces.
Lowfat: take half the oils out of the dressing and replace with water.
Gluten free: Is already gluten free, yay!

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