Apple and Endive Salad with Dates, Pomegranate, Sumac and Honey Walnut Labneh

{Recipe for Homemade Labneh ~ A Yogurt Cheese}~ infused with Honey & Orange Blossom Water and Walnuts

• 17.5 ounce fage all natural greek yogurt, strained overnight (you can also use any plain full fat yogurt}
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water {you may use 1/2 tsp vanilla instead of orange blossom water}
• 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, finely chopped

1. You will need to strain & refrigerate the Greek yogurt overnight in a cheese cloth rolled up in a ball with a knot and hang it up or place it in a strainer with a bowl underneath. Before placing the yogurt in the fridge try to squeeze as much of the water out as you can.{Please Note} You can certainly skip this step and buy Labneh ready made from a specialty shop! I have seen Labneh at Middle Eastern grocers.
2. Next day before serving the salad, In a bowl add Labneh, honey, orange blossom water & finely chopped walnuts and mix well until all of the ingredients are infused well. Refrigerate again until you are ready to assemble the salad.
3. {PLEASE NOTE} You can spread this delicious Labneh on a Bagel {makes a healthy & tasty substitute to cream cheese}, also tasty on crusty bread or crackers! Makes a healthy snack!
4. Most of the ingredients can be found in a supermarket. Turkish, Middle Eastern or Greek Markets. Also Williams Sonoma carries Sumac.

Apple and Endive Salad with Dates, Pomegranates, & Walnuts sprinkled w/ Sumac

• 3 honey crisp variety of apples, cored, undpeeled,julienned (or any sweet apple of your choice}
• 4 medjool dates, pitted & sliced
• 4 tablespoons Pomegranate seeds
• 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice,reserve some extra if needed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 or less teaspoon sumac, only for sprinkling on top
• 4-5 smaller size endives, chopped & some leaves for presentation

1. In a bowl add julienned apples and coat them with lemon juice to prevent the apples from oxidizing.
2. Add the 3 chopped endives, dates, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint, chopped walnuts. Mix the honey, 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice & olive oil in a separate small bowl, whisk well and then add to the salad. Toss the salad well. {at this point you can add some more lemon juice if you feel the salad needs more citrus flavor}
3. Plate the salad with 2 tablespoons of Labneh spread into a round disk like shape.
4. place 4 endive leaves over the Labneh
5. Scoop in some apple salad. you can sprinkle some more walnuts over the salad and to finish the salad sprinkle the sumac at the end.
6. You can enjoy this salad for breakfast, lunch or even dinner! :)