Description
A delicious salad featuring maple-coated pecans, crisp apples, and fresh spinach.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ medium red onion (very thinly sliced)
- 8 ounces baby spinach (or half spinach, half mixed greens or arugula)
- 2 sweet-crisp apples (cored and thinly sliced, such as Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp – in the fall, I like 1 apple and 1 pear)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the pecans: Place the pecans in a medium skillet and top with the maple syrup. Heat over medium low for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the syrup thickens and coats the pecans. Stir in the salt. Pour onto a sheet of parchment paper and separate. Let harden while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Make the dressing: In a liquid measuring cup with a spout or bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
- Place the onion, apple, and pear in your serving bowl. Top with one-third of the dressing and stir to combine. If time allows, let everything mingle for about 10 minutes while the pecans continue to cool.
- Add the spinach and cooled pecans. Toss to coat, then moisten with additional dressing as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Letting the flavors mingle helps to soften the flavor of the onion a bit.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Stovetop, Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg