Summer Peach Salad with Peach Vinaigrette Dressing

I love salads. I mean, really love them. But that wasn’t always the case. My mom, who could happily live on greens, has always made heaping bowlfuls of delicious, colorful salads for every family dinner, picnic, pool party, and more…and, without fail, she’d always sigh and frustratingly utter these words: “HEY! NO ONE ATE MY SALAD!” It wasn’t exactly the truth – most of us would squeeze a few forkfuls onto a plate already filled with chicken, corn on the cob, baked potatoes and other protein-meets-carb-heaven fare. Her enormous salad bowl was fit for a small Army, though, so our piddly pickings barely made a dent. Eventually, a running joke started that her headstone would one day read: “Amazing and loving wife and mother. But no one ate her salads.”

These days, salads are an everyday offering at our house, and I’m happy to credit my dear mom for the inspiration. Monday through Friday, Brian finds a freshly-made salad in his bag (and he actually likes them – as long as they include some meat. Such a cave-dude he is.). With my dietary restrictions, I’m challenged to come up with unique, flavorful and healthful salads that can just pull double duty as main course or fresh and guilt-free appetizer. This challenge is actually fun one for me, and I’ve affectionately been labeled the Salad Queen by some friends and family. Admittedly, my mom is the Queen, so call me Salad Princess, thank you very much!

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Summer Peach Salad with Peach Vinaigrette Dressing

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Ingredients

Summer Peach Salad

• 1 container baby spring lettuce mix (or 50/50 baby spinach and baby spring lettuce mix)
• goat cheese (crumbled or solid log style – you can easily crumble it with a fork)
• 1 T. honey (raw and locally-derived preferably)
• 1 small red onion
• 2 medium ripe peaches
• few spearmint leaves
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• ½ c. raw pecans
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon (ceylon variety ideally)
• ¼ tsp. cumin ground
• 2 organic chicken breasts or one grass fed steak * optional

Peach Vinaigrette Dressing

• 3 medium ripe peaches (peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped)
• 2 T. raw honey
• 1 T. fresh lemon or lime juice
• ¾ c. raw apple cider vinegar
• ½ c. Extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. Course sea salt
• ½ tsp. ground pepper

Servings Ingredients Summer Peach Salad 1 container baby spring lettuce mix (or 50/50 baby spinach and baby spring lettuce mix) goat cheese (crumbled or solid log style – you can easily crumble it with a fork) 1 T. honey (raw and locally-derived preferably) 1 small red onion 2 medium ripe peaches few spearmint leaves 1 pinch salt 1 pinch pepper ½ c. raw pecans 1 tsp. Vanilla extract 1 tsp. cinnamon (ceylon variety ideally) ¼ tsp. cumin ground 2 organic chicken breasts or one grass fed steak * optional Peach Vinaigrette Dressing 3 medium ripe peaches (peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped) 2 T. raw honey 1 T. fresh lemon or lime juice ¾ c. raw apple cider vinegar ½ c. Extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp. Course sea salt ½ tsp. ground pepper

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Instructions

Summer Peach Salad

1. If you’ll be adding chicken to your salad, lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil on two organic chicken breasts and season with course sea salt and ground pepper. Grill (or bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes), or until just cooked through, but very tender. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
2. In medium sauté pan, add ½ cup of chopped raw pecans, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract, a dash (about ¼ tsp.) ground cumin, 1 T. raw honey, 1 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon and a pinch of course sea salt, and stir continuously over medium heat until all ingredients are mixed and pecans are evenly coated. Stirring continuously prevents the pecans from burning. Scoop pecans into a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Rinse and pat dry the salad mix, and generously fill salad bowls (approx.3/4 of the way)
4. Slice the small red onion and add approx. ¼ cup to each salad bowl
5. If adding chicken, slice or cube the meat into small pieces and add to salad (approx. ½ chicken breast per salad bowl)
6. Peel, pit and slice peaches and add 6 to 8 slices on top of each salad (or more/less, depending on preference – we prefer more in our household because, well, ripe peaches ROCK!)
7. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top of salad mixture
8. Finish off the salad with a spoonful of glazed pecans, a few tender leaves of fresh spearmint, homemade peach vinaigrette dressing and a pinch more salt and pepper, to taste.

Peach Vinaigrette Dressing

1. For dressing -- Blend together the following until smooth: 3 medium-size ripe peaches (peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped); 2 heaping T. raw honey; 1 T. fresh lemon or lime juice; ¾ cup raw apple cider vinegar; ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil; and ½ tsp each of course sea salt and ground pepper.
2. Empty into cruet or dressing container, and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Drizzle over salad and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note: this dressing recipe makes enough for MANY salads, so refrigerate and enjoy for days – or share some with family/friends.

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