The summer salad series continues over here at Twinstant Gratification! Salads are a great way to pack in a lot of ingredients while checking off the boxes for the fat, protein, and carb categories for your recommended daily servings, especially if you’re counting macros or following a regimen. Often times people read the nutrition information on bagged salad kits and are astonished to find such a high fat content. Truth be told, a lot of that fat comes from the dressing, especially if it’s a creamy type dressing. Oil-based dressings still contain a lot of fat, but if they’re made with healthy oils, you’re eating good fats. For this reason, I prefer to make my own dressings so that I know they are fresh and I know what is in them.
During one of my (daily-oy!) trips to Trader Joe’s, I saw the most beautiful peaches and was instantly inspired to create a salad that night for dinner. I scooped up a bag of the “Georgia Fuzzies,” (and giggled like a sheepish kid), a fresh bag of baby spinach, a red onion, and a container of crumbled goat cheese. I have to admit, I took my haul home and took a scan through my pantry to see what other staples I could add in to round off this crisp and fresh salad. Ah-ha! Pine nuts. I toasted up 3 tablespoons of pignoli nuts to a golden brown hue while I set out to prepare the rest of the ingredients.
First, I chopped up the spinach. I’m a huge fan of chopped salads. I find that it allows the ingredients to marry together more evenly, and allows for smaller and more manageable bites. Next, I cut up the peaches into skinny slices and added them to the bowl. I did the same with the red onion and then tossed in the pine nuts and goat cheese crumbles. For the dressing, I decided to pair the salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
To make the balsamic vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until it forms a smooth and creamy texture.
Summer Peach Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bag spinach, chopped
- 2-3 peaches, sliced thin
- 3-4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 1 container crumbled goat cheese
- 1 red onion, sliced thin
Directions
- Step 1 For the dressing: whisk together all ingredients until creamy and smooth.
- Step 2 For the salad: combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing until evenly coated.
When dressing your salad, little goes a long way. Start off by drizzling a small amount onto the salad and toss until evenly distributed. Add more dressing as desired. The recipe makes a generous amount of dressing, so store the remainder in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Be sure to shake well before each use!
This is a quick and easy salad to throw together to take to work for lunch, or as an entree for dinner. You can add extra protein like chicken or fish and you can even grill the peaches for added flavor!
Fruits pair well in salads, especially when they are at the peak of their season during the summer months. Do you prefer fruits or vegetables in your salads? Tell me below if you’re team fruit or team veggies!
Tamar Blazer is an attorney-turned-twin mom, with a passion for her family, friends, writing, good food, home decor and laughing. When she’s not lamenting on her lack of sleep, you can find her doing one of the too many projects she likes to take on, usually with a twin on either side.
