Toasted maple ginger walnuts add a new taste to the classic salad of lettuce and balsamic dressing.

Yield: 6 servings



Difficulty Rating: Easy

Nutritional Highlights: Walnuts provide heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

Recipe Created By:
Recipe From: Tennessee Home and Farm

Ingredients

Salad:

  • ¾ pound mixed salad greens
  • White Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • 1 red pear, cored and thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries, such as Craisins
  • Maple Ginger Walnuts (see below)

Maple Ginger Walnuts:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 cups (about 1 pound) shelled walnuts
 
 

Tips & Notes

Prepare the Maple Ginger Walnuts ahead of time; they can be stored in an airtight container for one week. You can also save time by using store-bought balsamic vinaigrette.

 
 

Instructions

Maple Ginger Walnuts:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients except the walnuts in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat 3 minutes.
  3. Put the walnuts in a bowl and pour mixture over them, tossing to coat.
  4. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread coated nuts on it. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The nuts should look toasted and be almost dry as you toss them.
  5. Slide the foil off the pan and let cool on a rack. Be careful because caramelized sugar is very hot.
  6. Let the nuts cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container for one week.

Salad:

  1. Toss greens with vinaigrette to coat.
  2. Divide among six plates. Arrange pear slices over greens. Sprinkle with blue cheese and dried cranberries. Top with Maple Ginger Walnuts.
Recipe From: Farm Flavor - www.farmflavor.com
http://farmflavor.com/eclectic-salad-with-maple-ginger-walnuts/
 

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