You know what's crazy???
I'm sharing a salad with you today!!
You know what's even crazier???
I made salad!!!
I'm not really a salad person. In fact, I'm not really a vegetable person. I think I may have mentioned this before.
The only way it seems that I can stand veggies is if I roast them...but that's another day, another blog.
I will tell you that I don't often order salad.
I will order a salad to precede a meal...but I'm not one of those people who order a salad as the meal. (Unless I'm at Cheddar's, then I order the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad...but I don't think that counts)
I recently joined a local book group and the book we read was The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. (By the way, I loved the book so much I ended up reading all her other books as well).
When I contacted the hostess for this month's meeting, I asked her what I could bring. She mentioned that salad was always a good addition. Blah. Salad?? Really?? Okay...
I figured I would just make my standard green salad with tomato, cucumber and bell pepper. BUT, when I was in the shower one day (where all great ideas are born) I was wracking my brain trying to think of something peach themed I could bring to this group. Then I came up with this combo of grilled peaches, red onion, candied pecans and feta cheese.
I asked a couple friends what they thought of the sound of this salad and everyone seemed to be interested. So I put it together for a trial run several days before the meeting.
The salad was a huge hit!! Even mandatory-in-every-meal-meat-eaters exclaimed how good the salad was.
So I went with it.
I put it together that day and took it to the meeting that evening.
It was met with the same reaction! The ladies at the group loved it and a couple even went back for more. I'll take it!
I know the warm weather days are coming to an end and fresh salads will be pushed aside for comforting soups and stews. But before the last days of Summer fly by without a backward glance I suggest you try this salad.
Here's how you can throw yours together as well:
Mix up your pecans with some choice spices then toss them in the oven until dry.
Cut and pit your peaches, then slice again to make four round peach pieces...
Then toss those babies on the grill. Do you love my new Pampered Chef grill pan??? I sure do!! Especially since outdoor grilling is currently outlawed due to the drought we are experiencing in Austin.
After these are grilled, cut them into bite sized chunks.
Place the greens on a plate, top with onion, feta, pecans and grilled peaches. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve and enjoy!!
Grilled Peach Salad with Candied Pecans and Feta
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Ingredients:
- 1 bag of green salad (I used the 50/50 blend with spring greens and baby spinach)
- 1 large peach (choose a firm one)
- 1/2 red onion, halved and sliced
- candied pecans* (recipe follows)
- 1/2 block reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled
- balsamic vinaigrette
Directions:
- Cut peach in half and remove pit. In same direction, slice the halves again so you have four round pieces of the peach.
- Grill the peach slices until grill lines appear and the flesh is heated through. Remove from grill, allow to cool and cut into bite sized chunks.
- Top salad greens with red onion, candied pecans, feta and the grilled peach chunks.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.
- Serve and enjoy!!
*Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 (10 oz) bag pecan halves and pieces
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, toss the pecans in the egg white until well coated.
- Add the cinnamon sugar mixture to the pecans and toss until well coated with seasoning.
- Place pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake until dry, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.