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Walnut, Avocado and Pear Salad

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A walnut, pear, and avocado salad. this Recipe

Oh She Glows, created by Angela Liddon, is one of the biggest and most well-known vegan blogs out there, for good reasons: her writing style is warm and relatable, her recipes are simple but well-designed and her photography is breathtaking. After being a regular reader of OSG for a couple of years, I was lucky to meet Angela at Vida Vegan Con last May and she was just as lovely in person as she is online. So when the kind folks over at Penguin mailed me a copy of Angela’s new cookbook to review, I couldn’t wait to crack open this new title that’s already made it onto The New York Times Best Seller list.

The Oh She Glows Cookbook, by Angela Liddon

When I first flipped through The Oh She Glows Cookbook, the most prominent feature was Angela’s trademark photos, which accompany almost every recipe (100+) inside. While reading through each recipe and headnote, I couldn’t help but smile while looking at each carefully crafted page that is packed with dishes that joyfully embrace real, whole-food ingredients and celebrate freshness, color and creativity.

A fresh salad with avocado and pears.

Although there are easily 20 recipes I bookmarked while initially reading through it, I started off with making Angela’s Walnut, Avocado & Pear Salad with Marinated Portobello Caps & Red Onion. Simple in approach and ingredients, but well thought out in its combinations of flavors and textures, this salad is a breeze to put together, tastes fantastic and looks beautiful on a plate. After the shoot, Jeff and I ate every last bite, swirling around the last bits of avocado and walnuts with Angela’s homemade balsamic vinaigrette recipe.

A fresh salad with pears and greens.

Because I loved this recipe so much, I’m excited that Penguin has not only allowed me to share it here, but is also offering one free copy of Angela’s book to one lucky reader through this post!

To enter, just leave a comment below sharing the name of one of your favorite recipes from Oh She Glows or your favorite whole food ingredient, including your email or some way to contact you in your comment. I’ll randomly choose and announce the winner on April 8. (Shipping is limited to US/Canada only.) Good luck!

Congrats to Ashley, the winner of this giveaway!

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Walnut, Avocado and Pear Salad with Marinated Portobello Caps and Red Onion

Walnut, Pear and Avocado Salad

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  • Author: angela liddon
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This walnut, pear and avocado salad is bursting with fresh flavors and textures. It’s perfect for summer or anytime you’d like a fresh salad with a hint of sweetness.

Reprinted by arrangement with AVERY, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © GLO BAKERY CORPORATION, 2014.

This salad was inspired by a dish at a local restaurant where my girlfriends and I meet for lunch once a month. With buttery pear slices, grilled marinated red onion, and portobello mushrooms, toasted walnuts, and creamy avocado, it’s a delicious mix of my favorite flavors and textures, and it’s filling, too. Each portobello mushroom packs in around 6 to 8 grams protein, so add one or two and you have yourself a protein-packed salad that will go the distance.

Ingredients

  • 2 large portobello mushrooms
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 recipe Effortless Anytime Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below)
  • 1 (5-ounce/142-g) box mixed greens
  • 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup (75 mL) walnuts, toasted

effortless anytime balsamic vinaigrette (makes 3/4 cup)

  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) flaxseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure maple syrup
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons (7 mL) Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) fine-grain sea salt, or to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the salad

  1. Gently rub the outside of the mushrooms with a damp towel to remove any debris. Remove the stems by twisting the stem until it pops off; discard it or freeze for another use, such as a stirfry. With a small spoon, scrape out and discard the black gills.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the mushroom caps, onion, and half of the balsamic vinaigrette and toss until fully coated. Marinate the mushrooms and onion for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing every 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the mushroom caps and onion on the pan and grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until grill marks appear and the vegetables are tender. Reduce the heat if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mushroom caps are cool enough to handle, then slice the mushroom caps into long strips.
  4. For each salad, place a few handfuls of mixed greens in a large bowl and top with half of the chopped pear, avocado, walnuts, and grilled mushrooms and onion. Drizzles with some of the remaining balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!

For the effortless anytime balsamic vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients or simply combine them in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake. This dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.

Notes

Feel free to adjust this dressing to suit your own taste preferences. I tend to like an acidic bite to my salad dressing, but if you prefer less acidity, simply decrease the vinegar or increase the sweetener. Have fun and play around with the amounts!

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Lunch, Dinner
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: pear salad, summer salad, avocado salad

Did You Make This Recipe?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Andrea B says

    I discovered OSG a couple of years ago and one of my favourite recipes is her scalloped basil tomatoes!! SO GOOD — especially when you're craving healthy comfort foods in the colder months! I'm so excited to get my hands on a copy of this cookbook!!!

    Reply

  4. Marisa says

    I fell in love with the OSG blog a few years ago and have made many of her delicious recipes. I have a particular fondness for her raw cookie dough bites!

    Reply

  5. Shirley Belec says

    I love all of Angela's recipes but her Spiced red lentil/ tomato & kale soup is one of my fave. I also love the fact that she has some great gluten-free recipes too! I hope I win her cookbook!! my email is sbelec@live.ca 🙂

    Reply

  6. Sheridan and Drew says

    Would love to win this cookbook! Probably my favorite Oh She Glows recipe (and most frequently used) would be the Quick & Dirty 5-ingredient Cheeze Sauce! So easy and so good!

    My email is sheridanposey [at] yahoo [dot] com. Thanks!

    Reply

  7. Tori Elle says

    Angela's recipes are amazing! I constantly get praise from my family and friends for her delicious meals (which is a HUGE accomplishment seeing as I'm the only vegan among them)! One of the funniest things about her recipes is the questions I get asked by random individuals at the grocery store. I was recently making some of her coconut whipped cream and had at least three people ask me what I was using the coconut milk for. My response? "The most delicious whipped cream you have ever tasted… And did I forget to mention that it is actually good for you? Remember these three words: oh she glows!" My current favorite recipe is her Carrot Cake Oatmeal, which I made this past Sunday for my aunt's birthday. I was actually worried that no one would go for the cinnamon taste, but was pleasantly shown otherwise. We actually had an all-out WAR break out over who would take home leftovers! The best moment of the day came when my mother (an anti-cinnamon-er) almost had a panic attack when I told her that I didn't make any extra cake for her to eat at home! Now, we have the dessert portion of our Easter dinner planned out… With an extra secret batch hidden in the back of the fridge just for her! <3 elletori@gmail.com

    Reply

  10. Anonymous says

    I really really love the Oh She Glows cookbook! I have already made many recipes since I got her book about a month ago, but I think my favourite recipe has to be her Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites. When I really need a delicious treat I turn to those. Even my whole family, who I think are not only allergic to 'healthy food' but especially 'vegan food' will take a couple when I'm not looking! kgrottoli@gmail.com

    Reply

  12. Jordanna Shtal says

    I'm a huge fan of Angela and Oh She Glows! I would love the opportunity to win a copy of her new cookbook. My fave go to recipe is her Pumpkin Pie with Gluten free pecan crust. A real crowd pleaser!

    Reply

  15. Elisabeth says

    The Oh She Glows caulipower fettuccine alfredo is my go-to comfort food because I don't feel too guilty eating it 🙂 I would love to get my hands on her new book! I've heard rave reviews.

    Reply

  19. Jen says

    I think the homemade kale chips are a pretty great recipe. Especially when a tiny bag of kale chips costs $5 at the grocery! My email is freshfromjen(at)gmail.com.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  21. Meghan Anderson says

    Oh my goodness, that salad looks like it's about to be my favorite recipe. As a nursing mom, I'm enjoying lots of healthy high calorie foods – especially nuts and avocados. Yum!

    Reply

  22. Taryn Bone says

    my favorite "Oh She Glows" recipe is Homemade Crispy Twix Bars!! Soooooo Good!!! Dates as caramel is the best thing that has ever happened to me! tarynbone(at)gmail.com

    Reply

  25. Anonymous says

    It's so hard to pick just one favourite! But I am loving how quick/easy/amazing the easy alfredo sauce is. jamieashleyward @ hotmail.com

    Reply

  28. Terri Cole says

    The Avocado Pasta is one of my all-time favorites! Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this gorgeous book!

    gaia (at) cinci (dot) rr (dot) com

    Reply

  32. Marina D says

    My favorite recipe of Angela's is definitely her gooey banana bread batter oatmeal!!! It's soooo delicious and tastes just like banana bread batter!! 🙂

    Reply

  40. Regan McCarthy says

    What a great giveaway! I loved bringing Vegan treats to work to share with my coworkers. Oh She Glows sugar cookies are always a big hit! rsmccart [at] gmail [dot] com.

    Reply

  46. Cayce Strong says

    I love avocados as a whole food ingredient. They are so creamy and go well with lots of things!

    Reply

  63. Nutreats says

    Oh She Glows lightened up Tahini Lemon dressing has become my go to dressing for everything and sparked my obsession with Tahini…then again most of her recipes have introduced a new obsession into my life (raw almond butter cups anyone).

    Reply

  64. Zee says

    The OSG lightened up tahini dressing has become by go to dressing for just about anything and sparked my obsession with Tahini…Although each of her recipes has introduced a new food obsession into my life (hello almond butter cups!)

    Reply

  67. Katie says

    Favourite Recipe: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. A delightful combination of all my favourites!
    Favourite Whole Foods Ingredient: If we restrict the field to just superfoods (no farmer's market hauls, CSA finds, beans, nuts, seeds … I'm awash with indecision!) I'd say chia seeds. They are magical, and remind me of my favourite pet: the Chia Pet!

    Reply

  72. Anonymous says

    I love Angela's recipes and would LOVE to win a copy of her cookbook! One of my favorite recipes of hers (which also happens to be a popular favorite with friends and family) is her no-bake elvis bars. So easy and so delicious!! perrilove@yahoo.com

    Reply

  73. robin says

    So hard to choose a favorite! On the sweet side, I think the vegan gluten free brownie recipe (loved by non-vegan gluten eaters, too), and the pumpkin pie squares. Savory would probably be the sundried tomato and mushroom quiche. runsintherain228 (at) gmail (.) com

    Reply

  74. KCrowe says

    Butternut squash mac and cheese has to be my favorite hands down. Any way to make my favorite comfort food vegan… and I am there. kelseyscrowe at gmail dot com

    Reply

  77. Aimee B. says

    My favorite whole food ingredient would have to be avocados. I swear I can eat them on just about anything! 🙂

    aimeesavon at hotmail dot com

    Reply

  78. jac says

    Right now I think my favorite whole food ingredient is oats. They are great in baked goods, can be ground into a flour to be used as a base or thickener.

    Reply

  79. Sam says

    I love cooking with beans and nuts, and my favourite recipe(s) would be… basically every dessert ever done by Oh She Glows.

    hodderdesigns at gmail dot com

    Reply

  85. Adriane says

    Angela's blog introduced me to the green monster and really helped transition me to the vegan diet! I really really really want the cookbook!

    Reply

  86. Alaina says

    Oh She Glows is the first vegan food blog I fell in love with. As for a favorite recipe, I'd have to say that would be her Butternut Squash Mac N' Cheez–it's the recipe that convinced me I could give up dairy and still eat some ridiculously amazing food. And, better yet, this food didn't leave me feeling bloated and gross afterwards. So thanks for sharing a rather tasty-looking recipe. And thanks to Angela for giving us a whole book filled with deliciousness!

    Reply

  92. Anonymous says

    Hi there! Angela is such an amazing resource for good and yummy food. I would say the Nourish + Glow Miracle Bowl is fantastic! Thank you for the opportunity to win her book:) hr@wynfordtwg.com

    Reply

  102. thevioletfern.com says

    Yum! I'll try this next. I have so far eaten the life affirming nacho dip, the power miso bowl, several dressings and the creamy avocado pasta – all of it delicious!!! Love this book.

    Reply

  104. Janessa Arch says

    My favorite would have to be the herbal green monster, though that green warrior she posted recently might change that. I've been such a fan of hers for a long time, her photography being the number one reason. When my carnivore friends start poking at my eating habits, I just send them one of her links. "Ya want it, don't cha?"

    sysomi@yahoo.com

    Reply

  105. Oh She Glows says

    Thank you for your beautiful review and kind words! 🙂 Your photos are gorgeous. I'm so happy you are enjoying the cookbook so far.
    I hope we can see each other again soon…it's hard to believe the last VVC was almost a year ago now! xi

    Reply

  110. Yanic A. says

    So far, my favorite recipe has been the Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls with Cranberry-Pear Sauce. I'm a sucker for appetizers. I'll make 3 and call it dinner! She has an amazing selection. My favorite whole foods is probably raw nuts. What a great giveaway!

    email : ffff.blog@hotmail.com

    Reply

  112. Julia Friedrich says

    Pink Power Detox Smoothie! It's a wonderful way to welcome spring and spring colors back to this side of the earth!

    Angela's recipes have helped me to finally make the transition from vegetarianism to veganism, and I feel like every aspect of my life has improved following my decision–I feel better physically, I know I'm eating even more healthily than I was as a vegetarian, and the accessibility and down-to-earth writing in every recipe means that I'm finally learning to cook, too, albeit in a haphazard kitchen catastrophe sort of way. 😛

    I'd love to have this book to help me on my journey!

    julia.s.friedrich@gmail.com

    Reply

  118. Margaret Flay says

    Using Angela's recipes easily becomes addictive!! I have turned time and again to one of my very favorite pasta dishes, the avocado / basil, when I'm in a hurry but still want a healthy, yummy meal.
    Huge treat having an all vegan cookbook that never fails to deliver the best!

    Reply

  120. hammer mama says

    Oh she glows is my favourite recipe site right now! it's exactly how I like to eat and cook, whole, gluten free, vegetarian but without pounds of incredibly expensive nuts or other expensive ingredients. simple good whole food! I love the cauli-power alfredo sauce. surprisingly rich and incredibly satisfying. I'd LOVE a copy of the book!
    @julie_toole (on the twitter) 🙂

    Reply

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