Rock your weeknight or party spread with iCarly actor Reed Alexander's recipe: a combination of caramelized roasted pears, crunchy maple-toasted walnuts and tangy pomegranate seeds. Also check out Reed's website, which features loads of healthy lifestyle tips, recipes and more for kids and adults.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 medium Bosc pears, sliced in half lengthwise and cored (skin and stems left on)
- olive oil for brushing
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted pecans
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 3 cups mixed greens
Dressing
- 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly brush the foil with olive oil. Lightly brush cut side of pears with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pears, cut side up, on the baking sheet and bake about 45 minutes or until caramelized and fork-tender. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, prepare the salad dressing. Bring pomegranate juice to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Simmer, uncovered, approximately 7 minutes or until reduced by half. Set aside in refrigerator to chill slightly.
When removing pears from the oven, reduce oven temperature to 350°F. To toast the pecans, line a separate baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it lightly with canola oil. Toss pecans with maple syrup on the baking sheet and bake about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To assemble the salads, evenly divide lettuce among four serving plates. Combine pomegranate juice, olive oil, honey, Champagne vinegar, orange zest and salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.
Place half of a pear on each bed of lettuce. Sprinkle each salad with 2 tablespoons maple-toasted pecans, 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds and 1 tablespoon bleu cheese. Drizzle with dressing as desired.
