Candied Walnut Spinach Salad

I wanted to share this yummy salad with you. My Grandma gives me walnuts from her own trees and this is a great way to eat them. The salad is versatile, basically a sweet dressing and your favorite salad ingredients. You could add strawberries and poppy seeds, lettuce and red onion, whatever you like. I made it first with lettuce and apple slices, then with spinach and craisins. 

You can try candied nuts besides walnuts... like pecans and almonds. Once you've made the nuts and dressing, you can whip up the delicious salad in no time!

Candied Walnut Spinach Salad

Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.            In the container of a blender, combine the mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar, and sugar. Cover and blend on low speed. Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while mixing until fully incorporated. Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

        

Candied walnuts

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 pound walnut halves

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon milk

1 egg white

Directions:

1.            Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.            In a bowl, toss sugar with remaining ingredients and mix well.

3.            Pour mixture on to a cookie sheet, spread evenly, and bake for 20 minutes.

4.            Remove from oven and mix. Allow walnuts to cool before serving.

       

Salad

3 heads butter lettuce or spinach - rinsed, and torn

1/2 cup dried cherries or craisins

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut

into matchsticks

4 ounces goat or feta cheese, crumbled

3 ounces chopped candied walnuts

Directions:

1.            In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce, cherries, apples, goat cheese and candied pecans. Toss with just enough of the dressing to coat, then serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Enjoy!