If you’re having guests over, this Asian-Pear Chevre Salad is an impressive tasting dinner salad. The combination of Asian pear, chevre (goat cheese), pine nuts and a sweet and tangy maple-dijon dressing are really a great combination together. Later on in this post I’ll be talking about my sons’ new adventure, which has absolutely nothing to do with the salad recipe I’m going to share. In fact my husband just came in the room and said, “What does Hardmill have to do with sharing a recipe?” “Nothing”, I answered back, “but this is a blog and that’s what I do, blog, blog, blog about whatever.” “Is that like blah, blah, blah,” he said. ‘Yeah, something like that”, I answered back. If you are looking for a nice spring salad to whip up, this is quick and easy and restaurant quality.

Asian Pear- looks a bit like a golden delicious apple but is definitely a pear in taste & texture
Asian Pear- looks a bit like a golden delicious apple but is definitely a pear in taste & texture
Toasted pine nuts have a wonderfully sweet nutty flavor. They are good raw, but when you toast them the flavor really bursts.
Toasted pine nuts have a wonderfully sweet-nutty flavor. They are good raw, but when you toast them the flavor really bursts.

When you toast your pine nuts under the broiler, keep a careful eye on them. The nuts brown very quickly and they are much to expensive to burn!

You can purchase pine nuts by clicking here.

Colorful layers of pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil and dijon mustard.
Colorful layers of maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil and Dijon mustard. Blend it and it turns to a wonderful sweet & tangy dressing.

The combination of the rice vinegar with the maple syrup is awesome, but add in the mustard and olive oil and you have a perfect salad dressing.

Crisp Asian -pear & chevre salad with Maple-dijon dressing & pine nuts.
Crisp Asian -pear & chevre salad with maple-Dijon dressing & pine nuts.

Chevre is a creamy goat cheese found in most deli or cheese sections. Garnish with thin slices of red onion of toasted pine nuts and drizzle with the maple-dijon dressing. Click here for my gluten-free croutons recipe, which you also may enjoy on this salad.

 

Asian Pear-Chevre Salad with Maple-Dijon

Dressing & Toasted Pine Nuts

1/2 small red onion (slice in thin rings)

1/3 c chevre (goat cheese)

1/2 c toasted pine nuts

4 c mixed baby greens

1 Asian pear thinly sliced

(Dressing)

3 Tbsp Rice vinegar

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 c olive oil

salt & pepper

I recently shared this recipe on thisgalcooksrealfoodforagersimplysugarandglutenfreedeliciousobsessionsglutenfreehomemakerthewellfedhomesteadvegetarianmamma, LadyBehindTheCurtain AnyonitaNibbles, AllergyFreeWednesday, CreationsbyKara, GingerSnapCrafts, AllergyFreeAlaska, SodaPopAve, TheChickenChick, AlderBerryHill

 

Today is a very proud day for me. Our two sons, who live together in Seattle, have been working for about a year now to launch a business together. Today is their launch! This is what America was founded on, people working with their hands, long tiresome hours, to produce products that would give them a better life. I love that that entrepreneurial spirit is still alive and strong in my sons today.

Hardmill is born!
Hardmill is born!

I wouldn’t be truthful if I said I wasn’t scared for my boys. I am, because I know what it takes to run a profitable business. Twenty-seven years ago we started our own business and it’s very hard work. But they have that same fighting spirit and optimism that their dad has, and a very high quality men’s apron, so I’m excited to watch their business grow from the ground up.

The Entrepreneurs.
The Entrepreneurs.

On May 1, 2013 Hardmill is born. You can check out their website here: www.hardmill.com.

UPDATE: Sept. 15, 2013 Hardmill hits the front page of Yahoo shopping insider!  http://shopping.yahoo.com/insider/;_ylt=AtgjN4VpdZp8fzwYhnXgLANH.MUu 

 

11 comments on “Asian Pear-Chevre Salad with Maple-Dijon Dressing & Toasted Pine Nuts”

  1. Those aprons look great! I hope the business goes well for them.

    Your recipe looks delicious, too! Thanks for sharing it at Gluten-Free Wednesdays.

    • You’re welcome, Linda. Their business is starting to take off and we are thrilled for them. With Father’s Day fast approaching I’m sure they’ll stay quite busy.

  2. The salad looks wonderful! I enjoyed reading the story of your boys! The aprons look great! I checked out the site! 🙂 Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂

    Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

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