Mixed Greens Salad with Pears, Goat Cheese and Fig Vinaigrette + 1 Week Until Match Day!

On Friday, we had plans to join our great friends Ruthie, Taylor, and their 4 month old son Oliver for dinner at their house. Upon their request, we brought salad and bread. I had a taste for a pear and goat cheese salad, and with a simple online search, this recipe showed up and deemed itself exactly what I was craving. And I was intrigued by the fig vinaigrette! The salad is a cinch to put together once the vinaigrette is made and it was definitely devoured! It was so delicious! Pears and goat cheese are an obvious combination, but the figs, green onions, garlic and balsamic went together perfectly to push this salad over the top! It is definitely going to turn into my go-to salad for a while!

I've been reading the Hunger Games series and have loved them so much they've basically taken over any free time in my life. I started last Friday when I flew to CA and I'm about a fourth of the way through the last book already! If you have not read them, you definitely should before the first book comes out as a movie in March. You can see the trailer here.

Also of note - in just one week we will find out where Bryan is matched for his residency in urology! We are beyond excited and a little nervous waiting for the moment when we find out where we will be for the next 5-6 years! An update shall follow when we know...

Meanwhile, try this salad and it will knock your socks off!

Mixed Greens Salad with Pears, Goat Cheese and Fig Vinaigrette
Adapted from My Recipes

Ingredients:
Salad: 6 cups mixed greens
1 thinly sliced pear
1/4 cup (1oz) crumbled goat cheese

Fig Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
5 dried Black Mission figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped
6 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 shallots, diced
1 tsp thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Combine balsamic vinegar and figs in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). Combine the fig mixture, water and lemon juice in a food processor (or blender) until smooth.

Place fig mixture in a small bowl. Stir in shallots, thyme and garlic. Add extra virgin olive oil and salt. Stir well with a whisk or fork.

Place greens on individual plates, top with sliced pears and goat cheese. Drizzle fig vinaigrette over each salad and serve immediately.