The Pear Fall Salad (From My New Day Northwest Cooking Segment!)

Ok, friends! I was back on our local Seattle morning show today (King 5, New Day Northwest) sharing another fun, healthy & SIMPLE recipe, and wanted to share for you all here. It’s such a great one for Thanksgiving coming up, or anytime you want the salad to be the secret star  of the show– without clashing with anything else you are serving.

The Pear Fall Salad

This recipe is such a perfect one for any fall or festive occasion. Feel free to swap the type of salad greens (frisee, red leaf, green leaf, bibb and little gems all work well here), as well as using red pears, anjou pears or crisp red apples. Goat cheese, blue cheese or feta would all work well here too, so use what you have and what you love. I love using this dressing on other green salads too, and it makes enough for the whole week!

The Pear Fall Salad

Serves 6

1 head bibb or little gem lettuce, washed and torn

1 head red leaf lettuce or green leaf lettuce or frisee

1 red pear, anjou pear or cosmic crisp apple

1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (or goat cheese crumbles)

1 cup Cinnamon Spiced Walnuts, chopped (see recipe below)

1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley or dill (optional)

Shallot-Apple Dressing to taste (see recipe below)

Add all ingredients except dressing to a large salad bowl. Toss with dressing when ready to serve.

Cinnamon Spiced Walnuts

Makes 3 cups

3 cups walnuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together all the ingredients (except walnuts) in a small mixing bowl. Add walnuts and toss to coat well. Spread nuts in a even layer on the baking sheet and toast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through to prevent burning. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before adding to salad. Store any leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature or in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Shallot-Apple Dressing

Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped (approximately 1 large shallot)

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed (approximately 1-1 1/2 lemons

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Add all ingredients to a jar and shake until well combined. Keeps well in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 10 days.