Today I will be treating you to one of my favorite light autumn meals: a Fall Detox Salad with Pear & Walnut Cheese Crumble. If you’ve ever followed a detox cleanse, you probably know that fall time is one of the best times to cleanse your body and support your body’s natural detox mechanisms. That’s why I love preparing detox salads during this time of the year. I always try to use products that are in season, so for this salad I’ve picked juicy pear, fresh walnuts and lots of leafy greens such as Romaine lettuce, watercress, Belgian endive and arugula. Their spicy and slightly bitter taste combines really well with the sweet pear and the salty walnut cheese crumble.
Fall Detox Salad with Pear & Walnut Cheese Crumble
SERVES: 2 people
EQUIPMENT: small food processor, rubber spatula, small mixing bowl
INGREDIENTS:
Walnut Cheese Crumble
1 cup of walnuts, preferably soaked overnight and dehydrated until crisp
1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
¼ teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
Dressing
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of maple syrup (or any other liquid sweetener of your choice)
Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt and
black pepper, to taste
Salad
2 ripe pears, finely sliced
2 heads of Belgian endive, leaves
2 large handfuls of rocket
2 large handfuls of watercress, roughly chopped
1 large head of Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
2 stalks of white celery, finely sliced
Sprouts of your choice, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Walnut Cheese Crumble
- Place the walnuts in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and process until coarsely ground.
- Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt. Process again using the pulse button until well combined.
Dressing
Combine olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Salad
- Combine all your ingredients in a large serving bowl or on a nice plate.
- Add Walnut Cheese Crumble to taste and top with a drizzle of dressing.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- This Walnut Cheese Crumble will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You could also combine this salad with the basil vinaigrette from this nectarine tomato salad or ½ to 1 ripe avocado.
- If you are allergic to nuts or if you have difficulty digesting them, you can replace the walnut cheese crumble with fresh black olives for a salty flavor. Or just add plenty of celery.
- Did you know that rocket greens come from the same family as cauliflower and kale? They are really high in vitamin A, C, K and iron. I love their strong spicy flavor!
- Watercress is especially high in essential minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. It will help to protect your teeth and keep your muscles strong.
Now I would love to hear from you! What are your favorite fall vegetables to add to salads and stews? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
