Arugula Salad w/ Pear and Candied Pecans

"May you live everyday of your life." - Jonathan Swift

ARUGULA......mmmmmmm! -   You may want to skip this one (especially if you're not into the greens:), but try it out!!  It's pretty tasty, especially with these ripe pears and sweet pecans.

Even though some people think I'm a little crazy (not the raw foodies!!), I have been eating at least one green salad a day.  May sound a bit cooky to some, but it's helping me feel more energized, more regular (hmhmm!), and more balanced.  Raw greens are sooo good for you.  And, don't worry my carnivorous friends, you can have your cake and eat it too.  Scarf that meat and potatoes and finish it off with some fresh greens to balance your belly & your body out!



So, if you're eating a salad everyday like me, or just sick of the same old greens, this one is for you!
It's different and delicious and you should try it out.  Go ahead, grab some arugula next time you're at the store (or grow some of your own!) and you won't be disappointed.

Arugula Salad w/ Pear and Candied Pecans
I got the recipe for this salad & the pecans from "Veganomicon", and substituted arugula for endive - you could try this too!

1. In a flat-bottomed pan, toast 1/2 cup of pecans for about 5 minutes, constantly tossing them to make sure they don't burn.  (Watch out! - the first time I did this I wasn't paying attention and they got a little charred!)

2.  Now add in 2 tsp. vegetable oil and 1/4 tsp salt and toss to coat the pecans.
3.  Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup and toss them to cover.  Let them bubble in the maple syrup for about 30 seconds, continually stirring or tossing them around.
4.  Now pour them onto a plate or cookie sheet to cool.  After a minute you can stick them in the fridge or freezer to speed up the process.

5.  In a large bowl, add arugula, and on sliced pear.  Drizzle on 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil and 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar.  Toss to coat.
6.  Once the pecans are cooled, break them apart, add to the salad & toss to coat.

ENjoy ~ This is delicious!

p.s. you could also use these pecans on any other salad - they're really yummy & made me feel so gourmet!