Blueberry and caramelized nuts salad

I love thursdays. Most people like fridays and saturdays better, but I'm a thursday girl. When I was in University, Thursday night was sorority meeting night followed by a night of partying at Gert's (our University student bar). Ah the good times we had (wish I could remember them all! Now Thursday night means 5 a 7 night, a time when you can blow off some steam and enjoy a drink with some good friends. In the summer, (since I work for the University) Thursdays mean weekend since we don't have to work summer fridays (unfortunately, that does not start until next week, but still)!

Typically on "bar night" we get home late and we're not that hungry (all that popcorn and chips eating and drinking tends to fill us up!) so we generally opt for a salad and fish. My husband has never been a huge fan of salad (he tends to see salad as a tasteless product that you eat to loose wait) so I have been on a mission to change his mind incorporating nuts, fruits, a cheese in our salads to make then still a healthy option but tasty at the same time.

Since blueberries are now in season (at least the American ones), I decided to make them the base for this week's salad. A few weeks ago, my mom bought me this neat blueberry vinegar so I also decided to incorporate that.

So here is it, my blueberry and candied pecan salad! Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Blueberry and Candied Pecan salad

Salad: 

2/3 cup blueberry
2 cups lettuce

Candied Pecans:

1/2 cup pecans
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon water

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons blueberry vinegar (can easily be replaced by raspberry vinegar)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Finely cup your lettuce. Add your blueberries and set aside.

Warm up a small non-stick pan to medium heat, add the pecans and roast for 2-3 minutes.

Add the brown sugar and the water. Cook until the pecans look like this.

Add to the lettuce.

In a small mason jar, put all the ingredients for the dressing. Close the mason jar and shake.

Pour on the salad.

Enjoy! Serves 2-4