Salad Greens with Roasted Pears and Asian Orange Dressing

One of our go to places to eat at after Sunday Mass is Apple Bees Restaurant where I usually order their Asian chicken salad. This is my vegan take on this delicious hearty dish adding roasted pears and store bought vegan CHICKENLESS tenders. The brand I used for the latter is Earth Grown sold at Aldi Grocery Store. This company carries many other vegan products that are so delicious even a carnivore would eat them. No rubbery taste or texture. Sometimes vegans need some help and they do a wonderful job.

As for adding the roasted pears I got this idea when my line dancing class got together at my friend Clare's house for dinner to see their fabulous Xmas trees. She served this delicious salad with roasted pears and feta cheese. I was enamored by the sweet roasted pears which easily became part of my bucket list to prepare and use for a salad. Clare used champagne dressing but in this recipe I decided to go Asian that has an orange flavor and heat from chili paste. It is pretty close to what Apple Bees uses but with more personality but not in your face way. Combined with chickenless tenders this dressing makes eating this salad feel like you are devouring General Tsos chicken but with healthy greens instead of rice. No guilt but just pure bliss and fiber. You will feel life is good.

Me, Judy one of our line dancing teacher, Janet and Clare.

Dennis and Clare.

We had a good time looking at the tree ornaments, namely, pandas in the white tree, santa clauses in another and the variety kind in their grand main tree. Too bad our line dancing teacher Roz could not come but here is a picture with her below taken when we went out to eat at Sawa Restaurant December 2016. Below are a picture and video of our class in action.

Salad Greens with Roasted Pears and Asian Orange Dressing

• Pears cut into slices or strips
• Salad green mix, (I used spinach and Romaine lettuce)
• Asian Orange Dressing (recipe below)
• peanuts
• Earth Grown Vegan brand Chickenless Tenders or other vegan meat, cut into strips (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a pan with parchment paper or foil.

Place pear slices in the pan and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.

Distribute the salad greens into bowls and place roasted pears, peanuts and Chickenless Tenders strips if using. Serve with Asian Orange Dressing.

Asian Orange Dressing

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp chili garlic paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp orange marmalade
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Place all the ingredients in a glass jar and warm the mixture in the microwave for a minute and mix with a fork or shake thoroughly. You can also use a blender.