Candied Walnut and Pear Salad

A delicious and simple to salad with fresh sliced pears, avocado, cranberries and feta cheese.  Drizzled with a lemon poppyseed dressing this salad is mouthwatering and full of flavor!

1/2 of a 10 ounce bag spinach

1 Asian pear, diced

1 cup candied walnuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds

1 large avocado

1/3 cup goat, feta, or blue cheese

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard do not use regular

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tablespoon poppyseeds

Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, onion powder, Dijon mustard, salt and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend.

Stir in the poppyseeds.

Toss all of the ingredients together with the dressing, add some cheese, and enjoy immediately.

If not enjoying immediately, do not add the dressing until right before eating.

If desired, add some grilled chicken to this salad.

Caramelized Pear-Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

I used Asian pears because they are firmer and hold up better when sautéing. Also, the origional recipe did not call for sugar in the dressing, but I felt it was way too tart so I kept adding sugar, teaspoon by teaspoon, until I got the right taste. My guests were very complimentary. 

DRESSING

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

7 tsp sugar

SALAD

4 pears, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

8 cups packed baby spinach

1 cup grated aged goat cheese or crumbled soft goat cheese

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1. Place all dressing ingredients in small jar; shake to blend.

2. Place pears in large bowl; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons lime juice. Drain excess juice. Toss with 1/4 cup sugar.

3. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until caramelized on both sides.

4. Toss spinach with enough of the dressing to lightly coat. Top each serving with 4 pear slices, 2 tablespoons goat cheese and 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Another good and healthy spinach and strawberry salad. The recipe called for 1 cup chopped avocado in there, but quite frankly, we think it's better without it. Save it for a savory salad.

Dressing:

    1/2 cup olive oil

    1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

    3 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar

    1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

    1 teaspoon mustard powder

    1 teaspoon onion powder

    Salt and pepper

Salad:

    One package (10 oz) fresh spinach (about 10 cups of torn leaves)

    4 cups sliced fresh strawberries (cleaned and hulled)

    1 cup blueberries

    1 mango, sliced

    1/4 cup cashews or slivered almonds

In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, and whisk together well. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve the dressing immediately or you can cover it and chill for an hour.

   

In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients, except the cashew nuts. Add the dressing to the salad and toss. Sprinkle cashew nuts on top of the salad.

Raspberry Spinach Salad

For Candied Almonds:

½ cup slivered almonds

1 ½ teaspoon sugar

Pinch salt and cayenne

1 Tablespoon Corn Syrup

Toss all ingredients together until almonds are well coated, put onto a parchment lined baking sheet and back for 12 minutes at 325 or until almonds are golden and syrup is bubbling. Let cool completely on sheet and then break into pieces. Can be made one day ahead and stored in an airtight container.

For Dressing:

¼ cup canola oil

2 Tablespoons raspberry or red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons sugar

Pinch sale and pepper

Combine salad dressing ingredients and mix well. Can be made a day ahead but leave the sesame seeds out until you are assembling salad. Poppy seeds can be added in place of /as well as sesame seeds.

For Salad:

Candied almonds

12 cups baby spinach (or 1 10 oz package of spinach, torn into pieces)

1 pint raspberries

Goat cheese, optional

Combine and serve.

Spinach Salad

1 pkg fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, spun dry
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
4 strips bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 avocado, sliced

DRESSING:
1 cup vegetable oil
5 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbs sugar
Coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed

Mix salad dressing at least 6 hours before serving.

Toss spinach with desire amount of dressing. Top with bacon crumbles, eggs, cheese, and avocado.

Lopez Island Salad

This is a refreshing strawberry spinach salad.

2 sm pkgs fresh baby spinach
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs poppy seeds
2 Tbs sesame seeds
1 1/2 Tbs onion, minced
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil (anything but olive oil)
1/4 cup white vinegar

Combine spinach and strawberries in a salad bowl.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender. Toss just before serving.

VARIATIONS:
Adding some lightly steamed asparagus tips, or avocado slices takes this wonderful salad to another level.

Spinach Pecan Salad with Raspberry Viniagrette

The dressing on this salad is very nice. It has quickly became a favorite of ours. I have modified this recipe from the first posting. Using block blue cheese rather than crumbles, will give more taste, as the little crumbles get lost in the mix. Be sure you blend the dressing in an electric blender long enough to emulsify and semi-thicken. If your craisins are not the freshest, soak them in very hot water for up to 10 minutes, to soften somewhat.

1  Tbs  butter

1  Tbs  brown sugar

1/2  cup  pecan halves

1  pkg each (6-oz)  Spring Mix lettuce and baby spinach

1  large  apple, cut into chunks (Honey Crisp is best, if available, otherwise Fuji is good)

1/2  cup (or more) blue cheese, cut into small chunks

Handful (or two) of craisins

Dressing:

3/4  cup  oil

1/3  cup (slightly heaped) sugar

3/4  tsp  dry mustard

1/2  cup  raspberry vinegar

1  Tbs  grated onion

2  tsp  poppy seeds

Melt butter in small skillet and add brown sugar until mixed well and starting to bubble. Mix in pecans and cook until caramelized. Cool on wax paper.

Combine pecans with spinach, apple and blue cheese.

Mix all salad dressing ingredients except poppy seeds in blender; add poppy seeds and stir by hand. May serve salad in bowl with dressing or serve individually with dressing on the side. Do not over-dress the salad. You will have more dressing than needed. Serves 6.

Pomegranate and Feta Salad

Cut the pomegranate apart and pop the seeds out under water. Wear an apron. The juice stains. Only the seeds are used on a pomegranate.


1  head  Romaine lettuce
1  bunch  fresh spinach
1  pomegranate
1/4  cup  pine nuts, toasted
1/2  cup  feta cheese, crumbled
1/3  cup  oil (half olive, half veg.)
1  Tbs  red wine vinegar
2  Tbs  maple syrup
1  tsp  Dijon mustard
1/2  tsp  oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Wash and tear Romaine. Wash spinach and remove stems. Combine in a large bowl with pomegranate seeds (can use dried cranberries if pomegranate is not in season), toasted pine nuts, and feta.

For dressing, combine remaining ingredients and toss with salad.