The holidays haven’t even (officially) started yet, and I already feel like I have been eating way too many heavy and fattening foods. That rare chill in the air just makes me crave pasta, freshly baked cookies, and any and all carbs that I can get my hands on. I’m even making my dog fatter. There’s a good chance that I may have caused her to develop sleep apnea, because she is snoring much louder than normal lately.
So in an attempt to slim down myself and my pooch (pun intended,) I will be eating more salads. And I will start with this Radicchio, Pear, and Marinated Goat Cheese Salad. The base of this salad is thinly sliced radicchio and baby arugula. I toss in some thinly sliced pears and crumbled goat cheese that I let marinate in the apple cider vinaigrette. I top it all off with a few crunchy baked croutons.
Radicchio, Pear, and Marinated Goat Cheese Salad
| Yield | 4 |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Total time | 1 hour |
| Meal type | Salads |
Ingredients
Croutons
- 1/2 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 4oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 small head radicchio, sliced
- 2 cups baby arugula leaves
- 1 Bosc pear, cored and thinly sliced
Directions
| Croutons | |
| 1. | Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the bread slices on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. |
| Dressing | |
| 2. | Bring the apple cider to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes, until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. Transfer the liquid to a heatproof bowl and chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, until cold. Whisk in the vinegar, shallot, mustard, and thyme. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. |
| Salad | |
| 3. | Place the goat cheese in a small dish and toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. |
| 4. | Toss together the radicchio, arugula, pear, marinated goat cheese, and remaining dressing in a large serving bowl. Top with the croutons and serve. |
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Riley, this salad looks wonderful!! I love how light it is, and so healthy!
I’ve got the same thing going on… totally pigging out on heavy, carb-loaded food lately! I’ve also planned to eat nothing but salads this week (and maybe the weeks leading up to Christmas – other than blog posts). LOL. I’m just doing easy grilled chicken Caesar salads for this week. I must try not to gain 10 pounds before Christmas!! Can’t wait to try your salad. Looks like a good one for next week!
P.S. I hope your doggy is okay! xoxo