If you’ve never tried candied pecans before, you HAVE to give this a go! They add such brilliant crunch, texture and sweetness to this salad. Absolutely delicious!
For the candied pecans: Toast the pecans in a medium frying pan over medium heat for about 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Place the same pan back over medium heat and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, butter and water. Continuously stir until the mix starts to bubble (about 2 minutes). Add the pecans and stir well to coat them. Cook for about 3–5 minutes, until the mix starts to dry a little. Remove, transfer to a plate and let them cool. Roughly chop.
1 cup pecans, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon water
Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. Remove, drain and set aside to cool.
1/2 cup quinoa
For the dressing: Place all the ingredients in a jug or screw-top jar. Shake or stir well and set aside.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, sea salt & cracked black pepper
For the salad: Combine the quinoa, spinach, beetroot, spring onion and feta in a large bowl. Top with the candied pecans, drizzle over the dressing and gently toss.
2 cups baby spinach, 500 g cooked beetroot, 1/2 cup quinoa, 4 spring onions, 80 g feta cheese, 1 cup pecans