Pear Feta Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

1. Place the mixed greens into a large bowl. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. In a small bowl combine the feta with the lemon juice and lemon zest. Mash with a fork to combine.

2. Place the 1/4 cup sugar and sliced almonds into a small skillet over medium heat. Continue stirring gently until the sugar has melted and caramelized the almonds. Carefully transfer the nuts onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then break into pieces.

3. For the dressing: Whisk or blend together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.

4. Layer the pears, feta, red onions and sliced avocado on top of the mixed greens. Pour dressing over the salad, sprinkle with the candied almonds, and toss to combine. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. Feel free to use regular feta without the lemon juice and zest, but the lemon does add a nice flavor. Blue cheese can also be used instead of feta.
2. Green onions can be substituted for the red onions, and pecans can be substituted for the almonds. Sliced Granny Smith apples would also be a wonderful substitute for the pears.
3. Adapted from a recipe for Roquefort Pear Salad on Allrecipes.