Strawberry Arugula Salad

When you get bored of garden salads, this salad has it all:  peppery arugula, sweet strawberries, spiced pecans, the tang of goat cheese (if you tolerate goat dairy and chose to include it in your diet) and a zesty lime dressing to finish it off!  You can make the pecans ahead of time and store any leftovers in a plastic container in your fridge.  There is a little honey added to the pecans.  It’s not enough to result in candied pecans, but it’s essential in helping the spices stick to the nuts.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes for pecans

Serves: 2

 Ingredients (Spiced Pecans):

• 1 cup raw pecan halves
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cardamom

1.    Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add coconut oil and honey.  Add pecans and stir to coat.
2.    Sprinkle spices over pecans and stir to coat evenly.
3.    Continue stirring constantly and cook until pecans have browned and are fragrant, 5-6 minutes.  Watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn!
4.    Poor out onto a plate and let cool.

Ingredients (Lime “Vinaigrette”):

• Juice of one lime (approximately 2 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1.    Mix well and poor onto salad immediately (or mix again right before use).

Ingredients (Strawberry Arugula Salad):

• 2.5 oz fresh arugula (about half a tub)
• 1 cup spiced pecans
• ½ pound fresh strawberries, sliced
• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)
• Lime Vinaigrette

1.    Toss arugula, strawberries and pecans.
2.    Top with crumbled goat cheese
3.    Drizzle dressing over salad immediately before serving.  Enjoy!