If made with fresh fruits and vegetables, there is nothing more satisfying than a good salad. In the summertime, when many salad-worthy ingredients are at their prime, one can assemble a restaurant-worthy mix of veggies and such in a matter of minutes. Since we haven’t done anything savory in a while, Caty and I knew a salad would be just the thing. In a stroke of genius (Caty’s, not mine) we ended up grilling peaches, and then served them on top of mixed greens with crumbled goat cheese, sweetened dried cranberries, and caramelized pecans with a light Balsamic vinaigrette.
It was delicious. We decided to post and eat at the same time, but I soon became too preoccupied with shoveling in as much salad as I could to type at a computer. It was a great combination of flavors and textures. Smoky. Peachy. Crunchy. Tangy. Sweet. Juicy. I could go on, but I will spare you. Adjectives only get you so far–the best way to experience the salad is make it. Eat it for lunch, dinner, late-afternoon snack, or breakfast. We don’t judge. Get going.
Grilled Peach Salad
1 package spring salad mix
1 ripe peach, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup shelled and halved pecans
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush peach slices with a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil and place on grill. Grill 2-3 minutes on each side
- Heat butter in a skillet on low heat. Add pecan slices and brown sugar and toss until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool
- To assemble salad, layer cranberries, pecans and cheese over spring mix. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and top with grilled peach slices.
Since salads tend to differ based on individual taste, feel free to play around with proportions based on what ingredients you like best. Enjoy!
Better than grilling steak... Really.
Yummy caramelized pecans!
Wright Time for a Schnack 