The word “salad” comes to English from the French salade of the same meaning, itself an abbreviated form of the earlier Vulgar Latin herba salata (salted greens), from the Latin salata (salted), from sal (salt). In English, the word first appears as “salad” or “sallet” in the 14th century.

I have created this amazing summer salad that is comforting and so delicious and fresh:

Ingredients

• 3 -4 cups of salad mix;
• 6 mandarin oranges peeled and segmented;
• 2 pears, cored and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• ½ red onion small and thinly sliced

For Dressing

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped

Method

• In large bowl, combine lettuces, oranges, pears and red onion.

For Dressing:

• In a medium bowl, combine Dijon and honey. Slowly add olive oil, whisking to combine. Slowly add vinegar, whisking to combine. Stir in toasted pecans.
• Drizzle salad with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat.

Serve immediately before the mains