By Denise Phillips

This salad is a taste of summer; fresh strawberries combined with salad ingredients and toasted pecan nuts. If you wish to make it vegan, omit the cheese and add smoked tofu or al dente cooked runner beans. Quick to make and ideal for a hot day when you really don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen.

Preparation Time 10 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

225g fresh strawberries, halved

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 large avocados sliced

110g fresh goat cheese, crumbled

200g mixed salad greens

12 mint leaves, chopped

For the Pecans

150g pecans – shelled

3 tablespoons brown sugar

30g unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

For the dressing

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons honey Juice and zest of 1 lime

Pinch of salt

Method

1. For the dressing whisk together vinegar, olive oil, mustard, honey, lime, zest and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. For the pecans, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Melt butter. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue to whisk until mixture melts down into a syrup. Add pecans and cook for 2-3 minutes, until toasted, stirring frequently to avoid them sticking together. Remove them to piece of parchment paper and let cool in a single layer.

3. Assemble the salad in a large bowl, toss the ingredients together.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and top with cooled candied pecans