Red Cabbage Salad with Maple-glazed Walnuts

I'll tell you right now this recipe is straight from the March/April 2014 issue of Eating Well magazine. The only change I made was using goat cheese instead of blue cheese. You of course, can choose which you like better!

INGREDIENTS:

VINAIGRETTE:
1 TBSP crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP red-wine vinegar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

SALAD:
1 TBSP butter
1 cup walnuts
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp pure maple syrup (don't substitute the fake stuff)
1 head red cabbage sliced thin
3 scallions sliced thin
1/3 cup goat cheese or blue cheese

1. To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together 1 TBSP cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper in a small bowl.

2. For the salad, make the walnuts first so they have time to cool. Place a fairly large (maybe 9x13 size) piece of parchment paper or wax paper on the counter near the stove. (If you don't have either, a clean cutting board will due.) Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add walnuts and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add salt and drizzle maple syrup. Cook, stirring until the nuts are well coated and began to caramelize, 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat, and transfer nuts to parchment paper. It's important to separate the nuts while they are cooling so they don't all stay stuck together. Let stand 5 minutes to cool.

3. Meanwhile slice cabbage and scallions. Place in a large serving bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Stir in walnuts and 1/3 cup goat cheese. Serve room temperature.