Brown Sugar Balsamic Salad.
I can’t take credit for creating this salad. It comes straight from my friend, Kelly.
See, last week we went to her house for dinner. Obviously, I was in charge of the dessert.
But then I got busy. And things came up.
And I didn’t get said dessert made. So I took store-bought cookies. Yes, store-bought. I was desperate. I don’t even like store-bought cookies. Unless they involve peanut butter. Then I like them enough to eat 14.
Naturally, Â I bought cookies with peanut butter. The worst part?
Not only did I not make a delicious, homemade dessert, but I ate 2 cookies on the way to her house. I really did. Â I presented her with a box of a dozen cookies that really only had 10 cookies.
What can I say? I was hungry.
I promise I have some class.
Not only did she slave over the hot stove all day, but she also made this fresh, delectable salad.
And come on, we all know that if I think a salad is good, it must be good.
This salad doesn’t even have bacon or cheese, which are my 2 requirements for ingesting vegetables. So you can imagine how great it really is.
One bite in, I asked her what on earth could possibly make this salad so delicious?
Then she gave me her secrets. Balsamic vinegar. And brown sugar.
You know, the healthy kind of sugar because it’s brown?
The next day I made the salad again. Yes, you read correctly. I ate salad 2 days in a row.
Brown Sugar Balsamic Salad
6 cups romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 red delicious apple, sliced
1/2 cup balsamic glazed walnuts (recipe below)
brown sugar-balsamic dressing
Combine ingredients together and toss with balsamic dressing.
Balsamic Glazed Walnuts
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
In a saucepan over low heat, combine vinegar and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add walnuts, coating them. Lay out on wax paper to dry, about 1 hour.
Brown Sugar Balsamic Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Whisk or shake ingredients together to combine.
Does it still count as salad if there are no other veggies besides romaine?
I vote yes.
55 Comments on “Brown Sugar Balsamic Salad.”
Hahahhaha. Oh well- you still showed up with some form of dessert- and thats what counts. Salad looks great. I love fruit in salads (even if there are no other veggies outside romaine ;)). Great crunch & sweetness
That dressing sounds amazing! I making it today :)
Wow, this must be so good if you ate it 2 days in a row! Yes, we’ll say it’s a salad, even if it just has lettuce! Making this dressing asap
Nothing beats strawberries and balsamic! Well, maybe thos walnuts .. looks delish!
You should try strawberries and a balsamic reduction on Vanilla Ice Cream … to die for!
Mmm, that salad looks yummy. I bet some blue cheese in it would make it even better!
Pingback: Tweets that mention Brown Sugar Balsamic Salad. | How Sweet It Is -- Topsy.com
Loving this!
I love brown sugar. I think it runs through my viens.
Why is it store bought PB cookies are always so addictive?
Love this recipe! You had me at brown sugar.
Aw man. I was looking for a salad made of chopped up cookies, a yummy balsamic frosting/dressing and crumbled cupcakes over the top. That would be awesome.
Wei-Wei
THAT is genius. Looks delicious.
YUM! I love glazed walnuts!
i’m not a salad gal, but this looks really good! probably because of the sugar :)
Mmmmm…I love balsamic glazes. It gets so sweet!
That sounds very tasty!! I love salads with fruit and nuts on them!!
haha i love that you ate two cookies in the car…when a girl’s hungry, a girl is HUNGRY! no shame :)
And this salad sounds amazing, love the addition of apples!
If I’m in charge of dessert, I think people prefer if I bring something store-bought.
That sounds AMAZING! I love every single ingredient, so how could it not be good?
The only store bought cookies I like are the sugar cookies with the thick pink frosting. Omggggg
It totally counts as a salad if it’s only romaine! Way to go :) And mmm, balsamic glazed walnuts? Putting this one on my to-make list!
looks good , I like fruit in my salad also
Lettuce is lettuce! It counts! :)
those look great
This looks great! Love the walnuts, I have actually done that myself and it adds I nice crunch! Thanks for sharing!
Look at you eating your veggies! I say do what works for you! It definitely counts!
I have splenda brown sugar – I am going to give this a try and let you know how it turns out.
Wow – salad two days in a row – the summer heat must be getting to you!
Yum…that dressing sounds wonderful!!!
A salad without bacon or cheese? That is not a salad ;) Haha. I am just kidding! At least it has some sugar ;)
salad with walnuts-that`s an idea!
have a nice time!
Paula
omg thsoe balsamic glazed walnuts sounds AMAZING! have you tried the sweet and spicy pecans from trader joes?!?! holy moly those are addicting!
Looks delicious. Sometimes I forget that I like fruit in my salads.
Yummy , I will definitely try adding brown sugar now to my dressing
Looks good!!! That dressing sounds AWESOME!
I have a secret love affair with balsamic vinegar. (I guess it’s not so secret anymore). I could drink it straight out of the bottle. I can’t even imagine how delicious it is when SUGAR is added. Ohmyword I must try this.
oh wow.
will wonders never cease. :) you are eating veggies w/o bacon! :)
this sounds deliciously fabulous.
Brown Sugar Balsamic Dressing – that looks good! I make a really simple agave vinagrette that’s just OJ (or you can use a vinegar like ACV), agave, EVOO. It’s so easy and it’s light..and sweet, the way i like my dressings :)
This salad sounds delicious! Was she bummed that you didn’t make dessert? I mean, not even PB cookies can compare to your creations :)
not at all! when jess talks about those crazy people who can’t stand sweets? i fit in that category…i eat one hershey kiss and go running for something salty! how are we friends, you might ask? well, we never have to fight over snacks ;)
totally counts as a salad :)
Jessica- I slack off on blogs for a week and you are eating salads multiple days in a row?! I don’t know what to say!
This does look really, really good! I can’t control myself around cookies and store bought work for me as well!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the walnuts in this salad! DELISH!
I look through the brown sugar back in search of the brown sugar clumps, so yep, pretty sugar I am brown sugar obsessed. I have got to try this dressing!
Oh my gosh, this dressing sounds fantastic. I just wish I’d read this post sooner, so I could have used the dressing for my dinner salad!! Droooool. And yes, brown sugar is so healthier because it’s brown :)
I love walnuts in salads, and if there is some kind of coating on them, they are even better! I love brown sugar in anything, it is so delicious.
mmm. The perfect salad for a hot summers day!
This is one of my FAVORITE salads!
Everytime I serve this salad…everyone lOVEs it!
Your dressing is just a bit different than mine…but same idea!
And I have been LoVing a chopped tart granny smith apple in my salads lately.
I know your friend LOVED those peanut butter cookies! ;o)
xo
Gotta pop down there and check out those yummy chicken fingers.
Did you get my desperate email….begging you to advise me on what I can do (diet and exercise wise) to kick some BOOTy in 7 weeks!!!
Would LOVE to have your suggestions!
luv2greg@yahoo.com
Do you think 7 weeks is a good amt of time to make a change?
I gotta get busy!
xo
Balsamic vinegar makes every food taste good :)
I usually use honey to cut the acidic taste of the balsamic…but brown sugar sounds so yummy!
Love this! I have been thinking about making Balsamic glazed walnuts for salad for a little while, and now I think I absolutely must. This is my kind of salad!
Thanks for this simple but wonderful recipe Jessica! I made it yesterday for my sister at the lake house. We had a huge spread all planned out – grill Squash, Shrimp and Mahi Mahi. Well guess what? The salad ruled. We stuck everything else back in the fridge and are preparing it tonight. We pigged out on the salad and loved it! As always you rock babe!
Have you ever added chicken to this salad? My husband needs meat! : – )
Yes I have! My husband would never eat this without meat either.
Sounds Awesome! Can you mix in advance or does it have to be mixed right before serving?