While working on another UVK recipe, I was snacking on a D’anjou pear.  I dipped it into some lemon tahini dressing meant for the other recipe, and found it to be incredibly tasty.  So here we are.

This vegan pear salad recipe makes a satisfying lunch or a simple side salad. It’s just so vibrantly green.

Pear Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Dressing

½ cup fresh parsley, packed

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup tahini

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp agave

Salt, to taste

Water, to thin

Salad

2 D’anjou Pears, sliced

4 cups salad greens (spinach, baby kale, Boston lettuce, you decide)

½ cup sliced almonds

1. Put everything listed under “Dressing” in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth and at the consistency you like.  If too thick, add some water and blend some more.  Taste, and adjust salt, lemon, agave, etc.  Set dressing aside.

2. Dump sliced almonds into a dry skillet.  Over medium-low heat, toast the almonds.  Continually stir them to keep them from burning.  Once they are the level of toasted that you prefer, remove from heat, and take out of the skillet (they will keep cooking, if you leave them in it!).  I usually put them in a small bowl to cool down.

3.  Place greens on a plate, top with pears and then, drizzle dressing over the top.  Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds.  Serve.