Fresh Summer Eats...

 FARMER'S MARKET SALAD

Being amidst the hot days of summer, it often becomes difficult to cook in the heat... and it is impossible to escape the eternal question, "What to eat???" ... Something about the heat makes me crave dishes on the lighter side, and it doesn't take more than a trip to the local farmers' market to draw inspiration! This is a great opportunity to turn down the heat, but turn on the delicious healthy eats!!

Many of you (who are my friends on Facebook)... have seen me post or comment about the salads I concoct and throw together for quick healthy lunches (or sometimes dinner). Here is a salad that I threw together on a Saturday afternoon, having just returned from a local Farmers' market. The intense flavors in the fruit and veggies that fresh are truly amazing, and can potentially make all the difference!

I did want to mention that this salad is spontaneous. The ingredients here are what I happened to mix together this time! There is definitely no right or wrong way with ingredients... I offer you my salad so that it might serve as a map to making your own creations:

About 3 to 4 cups of organic mixed greens, arugula and/or baby spinach
1 large yellow nectarine
1 large Plum
Approx. 6 to 8 strawberries
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
Handful of Dried Cranberries
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chive Blossom Vinegar (See below for other suggestions)
Sea salt
Freshly Ground Pepper

Toss the washed and dried greens into a large salad bowl with the fruit diced into small squares. Drizzle about 2 tbsp. of EVOO and about 1 tbsp. of vinegar over your ingredients and toss. Season with salt and pepper...then top with walnuts and cranberries.

This can be a light meal for 1 or 2... or can make a fresh side with some broiled white fish. I have made other varieties of this by sprinkling some crumbled goat cheese or gorgonzola cheese on top.... or for a heartier alternative, shred some chicken and mix into the salad!

As for the vinegars, I happened to receive this one as a gift, but you can normally find flavored vinegars in specialty food shops, or a grocery store like Whole Foods. If you have White wine vinegar or Champagne Vinegar, that would work wonderfully with a salad like this! Again... there is no right or wrong; the star ingredients are the pieces of fruit that you choose!

Using very fresh produce makes the flavors pop in your mouth... Support your local farmers and go to the Farmers' market! It makes the creation of your meals a complete experience!!

Enjoy!!

Elle :)