Peaches, Basil and Baby Greens
Yes, I realize this is my second week in a row posting a salad recipe; however, salads make me feel lighter, more energetic so I’m eating a lot of them these days. With all of the fresh summer fruit available, I love using it in salads. I am currently having a love fest with pairing peaches and basil. Besides salads, I’ve also been spreading goat cheese on toast and topping it with peach slices and basil. Amazing!
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or Champagne or sherry vinegar)
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of baby greens
1/2 peach pitted and cut into slices
Handful of toasted walnuts
2 basil leaves, chopped
Optional: crumbled gorgonzola
Mix together the shallots, vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Let stand for about 10 minutes while you prepare your salad and/or toast your walnuts.
Whisk in your mustard, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, slowly drizzling it in as you whisk.
Taste. Add final tablespoon of oil and a bit more salt, if necessary.
Put your greens on a plate. Top with peach slices, walnuts, basil and crumbled cheese, if using.
Drizzle your vinaigrette on your salad. Toss to lightly coat.
Enjoy.
YIELD: Serves 1
I ask myself who I need to forgive? I look at the situation and “untie” myself from it…I look at how I can love that person or situation and release it. We all have our internal baggage that weighs us down and we carry it for years…it gets very heavy. It isn’t saying that what happened was okay, but it is saying that I can let it go. We are all humans, doing the best we can at the time.
I feel lighter when I can truly love the other person or situation and my mind is lighter and I am more relaxed.
I love this, Kathleen. You are absolutely right. I’ve been wrangling with this on my own level lately. Reminding myself that some things are not meant for me to understand. Thank you for sharing.
This salad looks so perfect. Where do I start? i think i need to make a list of “things” that need to go and then start checking it off. I feel like this summer has been a non stop hamster wheel, just when I think I can have a minute something breaks or someone gets sick. Thanks for making me think. I so love your writing. Miss you! Sheila
Thank you, Sheila!! I miss you too. And I hear you about the hamster wheel. I thought this was supposed “summer vacation.” I’ve found that I don’t even make the list…well, I have a list…but don’t necessarily consult it. I just regularly ask myself, “What can I do to feel lighter?” And something always presents itself and somehow doing that one thing makes the rest of the huge load weigh a little less.
One other advantage to moving every few years – no Spring Cleaning. Carrie’s grandmother would get the whole family together, granddad included, and all of us would get to cleaning everything every year, but military life ended all that. Great article Carrie.
Thanks, Dad!! xo
I just LOVE this post. I’ve started to feel the pull towards having less stuff, but thinking about it terms of being lighter is just so much more beautiful and nurturing.
And those peaches look sublime 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Aimee, and leaving your thoughts!