I read about an amond butter salad dressing on Pinch of Yum, and altered it slightly for this salad. It’s quite yummy. I decided to use it on a salad of spinach, butter lettuce, candied almonds, red grapes, and mandarin oranges. Yes, candied almonds are one of my favorites and if I can throw them into a healthy salad, so much the better. I used the small tangerines that have no seeds and juiced a few for the salad dressing. Then I peeled the tangerines for the salad and cut the grapes. The candied almonds are super easy and fast to make. Do them first.

All you need is sugar and raw almonds. First, toast the almonds in a large non-stick pan over the stove, then add the sugar and stir with a plastic spatula, over medium heat. As soon as the sugar starts to melt, and coat the almonds take it off the stove and pour the almonds onto a sheet of parchment paper to cool. That’s it.

almonds in sugar candied almonds

 

Next, make the salad dressing by adding all the ingredients in a small glass jar and stir with a fork until mixed. I hate using blenders for this sort of thing, because it just makes for more dishes to wash. I like to use a jar with a lid so I can just keep it in the fridge for the next salad. I love this dressing made with almond butter, dijon mustard, and orange juice.

Now cut the grapes in half and peel the tangerines. Toss it all together, using whatever amounts of oranges, grapes, almonds, lettuce and dressing you like.

candied almond salad with oranges

almond salad

 

Candied Almonds Spinach Salad
Recipe Type: Salad
Author: deilataylor.com
Ingredients
  • Butter lettuce
  • Fresh Spinach lettuce
  • 1 cup whole raw almonds
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • Red grapes
  • Fresh oranges
  • Almond Butter Salad Dressing:
  • 3 tablespoons almond butter
  • 1 tablespoon light olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons dijon type mustard
  • ½ tablespoon honey
Instructions
  1. Make the candied almonds first:
  2. Lightly toast the almonds in a large non-stick pan on the stove.
  3. Add the sugar and stir with a rubber spatula, mixing the sugar and almonds until the sugar crystalizes and melts. (some crystals left is fine and tasty)
  4. Pour candied almonds onto parchment to cool.
  5. Make the almond butter dressing:
  6. Mix all the ingredients in a small glass jar with a fork.
  7. Chill.
  8. Peel the orange or tangerine and separate the slices for the salad.
  9. Cut the grapes in half.
  10. Toss the lettuces together with almonds, orange slices and grapes.
  11. Add the amount of salad dressing you want and mix.