Walnut, Avocado and Pear 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.

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.

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.

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, Pear and Avocado Salad

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

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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.

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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

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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