Autumn Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette
Awesome spinach salad with added blue cheese and curried pecans!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
SUGARED SPICED NUTS:
- 6 ounces walnut or pecan halves (about 1¾ cups)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
MAPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE:
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
SALAD:
- 10 ounces baby spinach (buy the bag!)
- 1 large ripe Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
PREPARE THE NUTS:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl toss the nuts in melted butter. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar and remaining ingredients; sprinkle over the nuts, tossing to coat. Spread in a single layer on a nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper-lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool in a pan on a wire rack; separate the nuts with a fork. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
PREPARE VINAIGRETTE:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. Gradually whisk in the oil until completely blended. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
- In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Sprinkle in the nuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, gently tossing to coat. You may have extra nuts and extra vinaigrette.
Notes
- *Make nuts and vinaigrette ahead for an easy-to-put-together salad.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 383mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3551IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg