Blueberry Avocado Salad with Maple Candied Pecans

This is a beautiful, colourful salad, power-packed with bioflavonoid rich berries and dressing, smooth and creamy avocados, and crunchy pecans. I like plating this one so you can see the lovely array of pigments and textures. For the lettuce, you can use mesclun, tender butter lettuce leaves, or try to chiffonade the romaine (pictured): hold the whole head of lettuce together and, as you would an onion, cut into thin slivers. Wash thoroughly and spin dry.

THE SALAD

• 6–8 c washed salad greens
• 1 c blueberries (fresh)
• 1 c pecans, toasted (in oven bake on a cookie sheet for 5–7 min at 350°F) or maple candied*
• 1 ripe avocado
• Blueberry Vinaigrette** (see below)

Serves 4

Salad Assembly:

1. Divide the greens between plates
2. Cut avocado into spears and arrange on salad in a circle
3. Top each with blueberries and pecans
4. Drizzle each with Blueberry Vinaigrette and serve immediately

*MAPLE CANDIED PECANS

Ingredients

• 2 c pecans
• 1 Tbsp salted butter
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Place a small pan on medium heat and add the butter, coconut sugar and maple syrup.
3. Stir until it comes to a boil/begins to foam and then toss in the pecans.
4. Continue cooking while stirring for another 2 minutes.
5. Immediately pour the nuts spread out in one layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a reusable baking sheet cover. Note: if avoiding the use of paper/cover, make sure the pan is well-greased—the sugar is at first sticky but firms up into “candy brittle” consistency once cool).
6. Bake, stirring once with a spatula, until browned, 12–15 minutes. 
7. Toss in a bowl and let cool. 

Pecans can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a week, longer in fridge or freezer.

**BLUEBERRY VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

• 1 c blueberries (can be thawed from frozen, or fresh)
• 1 shallot
• ¼ c extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ c lime juice
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1–2 Tbsp maple syrup (to taste)
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a food processor chop shallot and blueberries until pureed
2. Add vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and process to combine
3. While the food processor is running, add olive oil in a slow stream through the tube in the top

Note: This makes more dressing than you need for this salad. Dressing can be stored in fridge for ten days. Once refrigerated, this dressing will need to warm up and be whisked back together before serving as olive oil is solid when refrigerated.

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