One of my favorite things on restaurant salads is candied nuts. I love the combination of sweet and nutty, particularly when paired with pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries. I had only one day of little lunches this week, so made just one salad with the last of the spinach in the fridge, some of the candied hazelnuts from my pumpkin pudding recipe, and frozen pomegranate seeds. Fortunately, I also had a lemon, as I really liked the tangy combination of citrus vinaigrette with the sweet of the hazelnuts. This is the first time I’ve ever made candied hazelnuts, and I think it is a keeper of a recipe.
Spinach Salad with Candied Hazelnuts
Lemony Vinaigrette
(Lightly dresses three individual salads.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
A pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small jar, cover tightly with a lid, and shake vigorously.
Spinach Salad with Candied Hazelnuts
(For three salads)
Several handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
12 – 15 Candied Hazelnuts
Lemony Vinaigrette
Combine all ingredients and plate.