Saturday, June 4, 2022

Strawberry Salad with Candied Hazelnuts (Vegan)


Here we have Strawberry Salad with Candied Hazelnuts
served along side bbq tofu.

Recipe from Minimalist Baker
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen 
Servings: 4 (2-cup servings)

It’s strawberry season where we live, therefore, we must eat ‘em any way we can.  Minimalist Baker has consistently posted great recipes and so I was pretty confident this one would be great too.  I confess to making a double batch of the hazelnuts to toss in other salads for the week, but they are absolutely the perfect nut to pair with the strawberries.  I buy vegan feta cheese from Trader Joes.  The strawberries were locally grown and so they were extra tasty.  All in all, this salad is summer in a bowl.  Yum!

Hazelnuts
1 heaping cup raw hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
1 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp maple syrup (or agave nectar)
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Dressing
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp maple syrup
1-2 Tbsp minced shallot
1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper

Salad
1 (5-oz.) package baby spinach OR mixed baby greens
1 ½ cups thinly sliced strawberries
1/4 cup vegan feta cheese crumbles 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and add raw hazelnuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Once oven is preheated, toast hazelnuts for 7 minutes. Then remove from oven and add remaining ingredients directly to the hazelnuts (oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, and cinnamon). Use a spatula to thoroughly toss/combine.
Place back in oven and roast for another 4-6 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool.
In the meantime, prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a jar (or mixing bowl) and shaking vigorously (or whisking) to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more balsamic for acidity, maple syrup for sweetness, salt or pepper for flavor balance, or olive oil for creaminess. Set aside.

To serve, add spinach or baby lettuces/greens, half of the strawberries, and half of the roasted hazelnuts to a large mixing/serving bowl. Drizzle with half of the dressing and toss to combine.
Plate and garnish with the vegan feta and remaining strawberries and hazelnuts, and serve with remaining dressing (if you like a more heavily dressed salad).
Best when fresh, though leftovers store separately in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Store hazelnuts well sealed at room temperature.

Nutritional Info: (1 of 4 servings) Calories: 368; Carbohydrates: 19.1 g; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 31.9 g; Saturated Fat: 2.9 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 23.5 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 68 mg Potassium: 557 mg; Fiber: 5.6 g; Sugar: 11.2 g; Vitamin A: 3337 IU; Vitamin C: 43 mg; Calcium: 94 mg; Iron: 3 mg

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