Eclectic Salad With Maple Ginger Walnuts

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

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty Rating: Easy

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

Recipe Created By: Kristen Winston Catering
Recipe From: Tennessee Home and Farm

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Ingredients

Salad:

¾ pound mixed salad greens
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:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine all ingredients except the walnuts in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat 3 minutes.
Put the walnuts in a bowl and pour mixture over them, tossing to coat.
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.
Slide the foil off the pan and let cool on a rack. Be careful because caramelized sugar is very hot.
Let the nuts cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container for one week.

Salad:

Toss greens with balsamic vinaigrette to coat.
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/

POSTED IN: From the Garden, Healthy, Roasted, Salads, Summer, Vegetarian

TAGGED: blue cheese, cayenne pepper, cranberries, ginger, lettuce, maple syrup, nuts, pears, walnuts