Tomato, Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

This tomato, goat cheese salad is topped with roasted, maple pecans, dried cranberries, and a maple-balsamic vinaigrette!  It’s flavors are heavenly, and it’s a perfect dish for the fall season!

 

Tomato, Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

This tomato, goat cheese salad is topped with roasted, maple pecans, dried cranberries, and a maple-balsamic vinaigrette!  It’s flavors are heavenly, and it’s a perfect dish for the fall season!

I love this salad!  I have already had several requests for the recipe!  You can’t beat the flavor combinations, and it’s so easy to make!

A Few Tips

1.  I like my pecans toasted–not to the point of being burned, but just enough so that you can actually taste the roasted flavor of the nut.  There is a fine line between a burned nut, and achieving this flavor.  Even a minute too long could burn your pecans.  So please, because of the variation of oven temperatures.   Start with the lowest amount of time, and only add a minute at a time when roasting your pecans.  Taste as you go!
2. For the dressing, I use a mason jar, and shake all the ingredients at once.  Don’t dress the salad until you are ready to serve. It is not necessary to use all the dressing.  Just dress lightly.
3. Use fresh Goat Cheese–an opened package seems to acquire a stronger flavor the longer it sets!  Because goat cheese is an acquired taste for most people, you don’t want to over do it.
4. Yes, you need to quarter the tomatoes.   It makes a difference when taking a bite to have a whole tomato hit your tongue versus a piece.

THE RECIPE

Tomato, Goat Cheese Salad with Dried Cranberries and Roasted Maple Pecans, Dressed with a Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

4 cups Romain Lettuces

2 Cups  Baby Spinach

4 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quartered pieces

1 Cup of Toasted Maple Pecans

Combine in Salad.   Toss in Dressing right before serving.

 

Toasted Maple Pecans Recipe

1 Cup Whole Pecans

1 T Olive Oil

1 T. Maple Syrup

Kosher Salt

Toss Pecans in olive oil and maple syrup.  Spread on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt, lightly coating each piece. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes

 

Maple Balsamic Dressing

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup of Raw Maple Syrup (or more for desired sweetness)

1/4 cup of Balsamic, aged for sweetness

1/4 cup of white vinegar

1 T yellow mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

dash of kosher salt and black pepper

Combine all in a mason jar and shake.    (It is not necessary to use all the dressing on the salad. Dress lightly, and reserve extra for those who want more).