This Red Pear and Blackberry Salad with Maple Walnuts is the perfect late summer salad. It puts to good use the later seasonal foods in a really healthy way.
It is light, simple to make and so flavorful! I love the fresh fruits in this salad, but also really love the maple coated walnuts. It is a healthier version of the sugar-coated walnuts, which I also really love :).
Maple Sweetened Walnuts
Let’s start with the walnuts. They are simple to make but take longer than anything else in this salad. It is 4 simple ingredients for the glaze- pure maple syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Add them to a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil for a minute or so.
Pour over your walnuts and mix well.
Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake. Now, it doesn’t have to be parchment-lined, but it makes clean up so much easier if you do!!
Here are the finished nuts. Your house will smell amazing, I promise you! Allow them to cool. You can serve them whole like I did, or chop into smaller pieces too. They are great stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days as well.
Red Pear and Blackberry Salad with Maple Walnuts
Assembling the Red Pear and Blackberry Salad with Maple Walnuts is so simple. Start with a base of spinach, add plenty of the red pears and blackberries, and maple walnuts. I drizzled mine with a red wine poppyseed dressing, recipe below. It is my current favorite for fruit salads. It is wonderful! We loved this salad so much, we ate it for at least 4 days in a row, which is a lot for me. I love variety in my diet!
Salads are some of my favorite foods, and I love them loaded. If you are looking for some new ideas, I have plenty to choose from. Check these options out!
Maple Sweetened Walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole or walnuts piuces I prefer whole walnuts, but you can use pieces if you prefer
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the pan aside. Add maple syrup, butter, and salt to a small pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and allow to boil 1 minute. remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Place walnuts in small bowl and pour maple syrup over walnuts. Mix well. Pour onto baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. You can leave the walnuts whole, break them up or even chop them.They are best used right away, but they are also really good later. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I love just snacking on these. You can use them to top yogurt, ice cream, granola, or salads like I did. They are wonderful and a great treat!Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Red Wine Poppyseed Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey or sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard if you prefer, you can always use 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons poppyseeds
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in small bowl or canning jar, like I do.Mix well. You can use it right away, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!