Vegan Panzanella with Apricot Dressing:

Well, I turned my papers in today...45 pages later, and I'm free. (It's been a semester). I'm at the airport now, just waiting to board my plane home, where it's probably freezing cold. Either way, I'm excited. I have lots of big plans for Thanksgiving. This panzanella is perfect as a side salad. I'm been having lots of fun with the leftover apricot preserves from the Vegan MoFo Chopped Challenge. I'm hoping that my family loves it as much as I do. 

NOTE: I used the cinnamon rolls from the other day for my panzanella/croutons. I found that the little bit of cinnamon went a long way with flavor, but you can use regular bread and just add a tiny dash of cinnamon to yield the same effect.

Also, I will post some last-minute Thanksgiving ideas tomorrow. I know it's a little late, but it's the best I can do at this point. Anyhow, I should probably board my plane now.  ☮❤

Ingredients:

3 to 4 cups arugula

1 1/2 cups bread, cubed

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup Italian Dressing

3 tsp. apricot preserves

2 tsp. olive oil

2 tsp. vegetable broth

Teeny dash of cinnamon

Serves 4 to 6.

Total Cook Time: 15 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Combine the Italian dressing, apricot preserves, and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir until well-combined.

2. Line the bread cubes out evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle each with the vegetable broth. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon (if using), and broil until toasted, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the arugula to a large salad bowl. Once the bread is toasted, add the bread and almonds. Mix in the dressing, and toss to coat.