Candied Pecans top Red and Green Salad

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I could eat this salad every day.  It is sweet and delicious.  I prepared this festive Red and Green salad for several holiday parties, but now I’m still eating it alongside my winter soups.  I like the marriage of the red radicchio and romaine as a base to add some good things from the season.

Beautiful heads of Radicchio from Melissa’s Produce.

Salad:   Prep 20 mins  Eat 20 mins

Pecans: Prep 5 mins  Cook 45 mins  Eat 50 mins

The red radicchio adds a spicy, bitter contrast to the mild romaine lettuce for nice balance.   Look for a small fresh head of radicchio and chop it into small 1/2″ pieces.  Melissa’s sent me the beauties pictured above.

Dried Cranberries – you can find these sweetened sour gems now in every grocery store.  They’ve become as common as raisins and even bear the cute brand name, Craisins.

Queso Fresca – a soft mild cheese found in every Southern California supermarket and in Latin markets.  It’s a fresh cheese sold in a block and crumbles easily.  You could also use crumbled feta cheese.

Candied Pecans – you could easily add toasted nuts to this salad, but when it’s so easy to make up a batch of these addicting sweetened pecans, why not?   Make a lot of these, as they will disappear quickly. (Warning:  Hide enough for your salad in the pantry).

Making Candied Pecans  1. Adding Egg White 2. Adding Cinnamon Sugar                                    3. Before the Oven  4. After the Oven

Mix in a simple Viniaigrette – olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.   You can also dribble in a little honey to add extra sweetness.

This dish is the ultimate Fresh Food in a Flash…and in my book, there is nothing wrong with sweetening things up to consume your 5-a-Day and start out a healthy new year.

Print Red and Green Salad Recipe

Red and Green Salad

• 4 cups radicchio
• 4 cups romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup queso fresca, crumbled
• 1/4 cup Candied Pecans (see separate recipe)

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey (optional)
•  salt & pepper to taste

1. Shred both the radicchio and romaine to bite size 1/2″ to 1″ pieces, rinse and spin to dry the leaves.

2. Make vinaigrette.  Combine olive oil, vinegar, dijon, honey, salt and pepper into a shaker or bowl.  Mix to combine.

3. In large bowl, combine, radicchio, romaine, 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup queso fresca.  Mix with enough vinaigrette just to wet the leaves.  Divide salad onto eight plates.  Top with remaining cranberries, queso fresca and finally the candied pecans.  Serve immediately.

Servings: 8    255 Calories per serving

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5 from 1 vote

Red and Green Salad

This is a festive salad for the holidays or anytime during cranberry season. Prep the greens in advance along with the vinaigrette and it is a cinch to mix this up when company arrives. Queso Fresca is a soft mild cheese found in every Southern California supermarket and in Latin markets. It's a fresh cheese sold in a block and crumbles easily. You could also use crumbled feta cheese. You could easily add toasted nuts to this salad, but the Candied Pecans can be made days or weeks in advance and really make this dish sing. See separate recipe and plan an extra hour for making them.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: French, Mexican

Servings: 8

Calories: 255kcal

Ingredients

• 4 cups radicchio
• 4 cups romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup queso fresca crumbled
• 1/4 cup Candied Pecans see separate recipe

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey optional
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Shred both the radicchio and romaine to bite size 1/2" to 1" pieces, rinse and spin to dry the leaves.
• Make vinaigrette.  Combine olive oil, vinegar, dijon, honey, salt and pepper into a shaker or bowl.  Mix to combine.
• In large bowl, combine, radicchio, romaine, 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup queso fresca.  Mix with enough vinaigrette just to wet the leaves.  Divide salad onto eight plates.  Top with remaining cranberries, queso fresca and finally the candied pecans.  Serve immediately.
• ENJOY THIS RECIPE FROM FreshFoodinaFlash.com

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal

Print Candied Pecans Recipe

Candied Pecans

• 1 pound pecans
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• 1 Tbs water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1. In medium bowl, beat egg white in water until frothy.  Stir in pecans until coated.

2. In separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Add sugar mixture to pecans and stir to coat.

3. Butter a 15 x 10 baking sheet.  Bake at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until the pecans are crisp and golden, stirring every 15 minutes

4. Let cool before storing.

Servings: 16    221 calories per serving

Preparation Time: 5 minutes    Cooking Time: 45 minutes     Total Time: 50 minutes

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Candied Pecans

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16

Calories: 221kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound pecans
• 1 egg white slightly beaten
• 1 Tbs water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• In medium bowl, beat egg white in water until frothy.  Stir in pecans until coated.
• In separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Add sugar mixture to pecans and stir to coat.
• Butter a 15 x 10 baking sheet.  Bake at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until the pecans are crisp and golden, stirring every 15 minutes
• Let cool before storing.
• ENJOY THIS RECIPE FROM FreshFoodinaFlash.com

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal