This fall arugula salad piles on sweet apples and smoky, toasted nuts

Sprinkling a salad with a smattering of fruit and toasted nuts is a simple and healthy way to elevate it, adding bursts of juicy sweetness and crunch....

Sprinkling a salad with a smattering of fruit and toasted nuts is a simple and healthy way to elevate it, adding bursts of juicy sweetness and crunch. But why stop at just a sprinkle? This recipe piles them on, casting apples - which are starting to appear at farmers markets - and nuts front and center as main characters supported by a chorus of greens.

For an apple that will truly shine in this salad, find a firm, sweet apple you like - whatever looks best and is available to you. I gravitate toward varieties such as Honeycrisp, Gala or Fuji, but you might find something else that catches your eye. (Apples that soften considerably during cooking, such as McIntosh, are not suitable here.)

Start by cutting an apple into wedges, which are then tossed with a touch of lemon juice and honey, then sautéed until tender, golden brown and irresistible, with a comfort-food vibe and concentrated flavor.

Not to be upstaged - the nuts are equally fabulous. Chopped almonds and pistachios get toasted in the same pan used for the apples, then seasoned with a mixture of rosemary, smoked paprika and honey, which infuses them with a piney, smoky fragrance and sweet-savory coating.

To serve, arrange generous helpings of the nuts and sautéed apples over a bed of arugula dressed with a cider-shallot vinaigrette.