Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad W/ Poppyseed Dressing

"A salad that is a perfect side for a BBQ cookout"
Serves 8 | Prep Time 15 minutes | Cook Time 1 minuteWhy I Love This Recipe
A great salad to bring to a summer cookout with friends
Ingredients You'll Need
4 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into small florets - about 2 heads of broccoli
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cut into very small cubes
Dressing:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
zest of 1 small lemon
zest of 1/2 orange
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice - freshly squeezed
1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
pinch of black pepper
Directions
1)
1) Bring a pot of water to boil. Chop broccoli into very small florets and set aside. Fill a large bowl with cold water and a cup of ice cubes
2) Add a generous pinch of salt to boiling water and add broccoli. Boil for 20 seconds. Drain broccoli and transfer to prepared bowl with ice water. Let broccoli sit in cold water for a few minutes, until cool. Drain and lay broccoli out onto some paper towels to drain. Allow to continue air drying while you prepare other parts of the recipe
3) Add finely chopped red onion to a small bowl of cold water and let sit 5 minutes, then drain. This takes some of the "bite" out of the raw onion
4) To a small mixing bowl, add poppyseed dressing ingredients, then whisk together until smooth and combined. Set aside
5) To a large mixing bowl, add dried broccoli florets, bacon, drained raw onion, cranberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, and cheddar cheese. Toss with citrus poppyseed dressing
6) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Toss and serve