You can whip up this salad dinner in 5 minutes. I tasted a similar one at a local restaurant and was delighted to find a delicious, filling, light vegetarian supper dish. I decided to re-create it at home.

Beets add an earthy flavor and color to the salad. You don’t have to cook raw beets. Cooked, ready-to-eat beets are available in the produce section. Or you can find frozen spiral cut beets in the market.

Helpful Hints:

— You can use any type of nuts such as walnuts, almonds or cashews instead of pecans.

— You can use any type of croutons.

Countdown:

— Prepare ingredients.

— Toast pecans.

— Arrange salad.

Shopping List:

To buy: 1 small package pecan halves, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat salad, 1 small package dried figs, 4 ounces goat cheese, 1 package croutons, 1 container cooked, ready-to-eat beets and 1 bottle reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing.

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FIG AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

2 ounces pecan halves (about 1 cup)

5 cups mixed washed, ready-to-eat salad

6 dried figs, cut in half

4 ounces goat cheese, broken into small cubes (about 3/4 cup)

1 cup croutons

1 cup cooked beets, cut into quarters

4 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing

Place pecans on a small baking sheet or aluminum foil and toast in a toaster oven or under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Watch to see that they do not burn.

Divide salad between 2 dinner plates. Place the figs, cheese, croutons, and beets over the salad. Drizzle the dressing on top.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 544 calories (59% from fat), 36 g fat (10.2 g saturated, 16.6 g monounsaturated), 21.8 mg cholesterol, 15.8 g protein, 46.4 g carbohydrates, 9.9 g fiber, 412 mg sodium.

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Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.”