Eating better is hard when you go away some weekends and you’re not always in charge of dinner! Some friends and I just came back from a wedding in Michigan, USA and it was so lovely, but the food options while travelling I got weren’t amazingly healthy (not going to lie, I definitely got friend chicken one time!! Could not resist.) There was so light and fluffy wedding cake at the reception, made in the traditional Chinese way (fruit and whipped cream). In the picture, you can see the Chinese character representing double happiness š
This spring evening though, I wanted to try a bit of a fun salad — since I don’t love salad, I try make ones that are so flavourful, I don’t want to say no to eating it. I decided to do my take on a Rachel Ray recipe, and ended up absolutely LOVING thisĀ pear blue cheese salad. The rest of the family did too and it disappeared very quickly.
In the past, spinach salads were ones that I could stand since I really do love spinach. Raw spinach containsĀ folate, vitamin C, iron, niacin, riboflavin, and potassium. Lucky for me, these help with balancing water levels, blood sugar, improving bone health, and reducing stress. For those with iron deficiencies and women who have crazy heavy periods, we need that iron!! I try to stick spinach in whenever I can, including grilled cheeses, smoothies, and omelettes. Sometimes spinach gives my tongue a bit of an after taste, so I mix it with other flavour covering foods.
First I made the apricot dressing from scratch. It was a kind of vinaigrette which created a sweet+tart combination. Using shallots, white vinegar, apricot jelly, and olive oil, this salad dressing was so simple to make. Salt and pepper were added to taste. Based on this experience, I would make thisĀ vinaigrette again to use with any salad that uses fruit. If you’re able to find a low sugar apricot jelly, that would be best.
Spring Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
Perfect for a patio meal with a combination of tart and neutral dishes. Flavours of apricot, melt in your mouth rich blue cheese, and lightly sweet pear in a bed of greens!
Ingredients
- 2 bunches spring greens mix combo of baby lettuce and crucifer leaves (lollo rossa, arugula, red and green oak, red and green romaine, mizuna, red and green leaf lettuce, tatsoi, baby spinach, red and green chard, radicchio, frisee
- 2 bunches spinach
- 1 can pear halves - preserved and sliced thinly Can use fresh pear - flesh of preserved pears are softer in salads
- 1/2 lemon, juice for using fresh pear
- 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled ie. Castello Extra Creamy Danish Blue Cheese
Dressing
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 tbsp white vinegar option to use white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup apricot spread, jelly found in jams and jellies section
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or to the consistency that you want around that amount
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
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Combine spring greens and spinach in salad bowl. Arrange pear slices on top of the greens and top with blue cheese crumbles. If you are using fresh pear, douse the pear slices with the lemon juice to keep them from browning.
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To make the dressing, combine minced shallots, vinegar, and apricot spread in a bowl. Whisk the mixture and slowly add in the olive oil until 1/3 cup of oil is mixed in, or as much olive oil as it takes for the dressing to flow freely. Season with salt and pepper then add to salad.
Delicious and sounds refreshing too. Mary
Thanks Mary! Hope it goes over well if you do make it š
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