Blueberry Balsamic Dressing and Salad
Blueberry Balsamic Dressing
Directions:
- Place all ingredients into small a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Top with the candied pecans, goat cheese, and rustic homemade croutons.
Blueberry Balsamic Salad
Directions:
- Place the mixed greens (I chose spinach & arugula) on a plate.
- Transfer to a small mason jar or tupperware container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. After chilling in the fridge the dressing may seem to solidify a bit. Not to worry! Simply vigorously shake the jar/container, or whisk in a tablespoon or so of water to thin it out.
- Leave it at that for a perfect accompaniment to a meal, or top with a protein of your choice (ie. grilled chicken, tofu, roasted chickpeas).
- Finally, generously drizzle with the blueberry balsamic dressing.
- There you have it! A delicious salad, featuring a fresh, homemade dressing.
*Candied Pecans: Add a handful of pecans to a frying pan, and carefully cook over medium-heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking frequently to prevent burning. At the end of your cook time, drizzle nuts with a little bit of maple syrup and stir again. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
**Homemade rustic crouton: My go-to method for a quick and easy 'crouton' is to lightly oil a piece of whole wheat bread (the seedier the better!) and sprinkle with garlic powder or other herbs of choice. Then, briefly broil in a toaster oven or the oven until the top is golden brown in colour. Chop into squares and add to the salad!
Credit for this recipe goes to Alex Chesney,RD, Thames River Melons.
Alex Chesney, RD First and foremost, Alex really loves food! She grew up on her family’s fruit and vegetable farm Thames River Melons, located in Southwestern Ontario, and spent her time growing, harvesting, and selling their produce. Alex then went on to pursue an education in Applied Human Nutrition at the University of Guelph. After graduating, she completed a dietetic internship in Toronto, where she deepened her knowledge about food and nutrition. Today, she is a Registered Dietitian, and firmly believes that in order to create sustainable and lifelong change, nutrition education should be taught alongside hands-on activities like cooking and growing your own food. In her spare time, Alex can usually be found in the kitchen, trying out new recipes or whipping up her own creations. |