Peach Pecan Salad
Well, it's July -- we're officially halfway through 2012. Sounds like the perfect time to take a look at my New Year's resolutions...of which I only made one, which was to get in shape and lose the extra weight I've been carrying around. 20 pounds later, that resolution is on track! But there are a few other areas of my life I want to work on, so I decided to make these mid-year's resolutions:
1. Create a budget and start tracking my spending to figure out where my money is going
2. Actually USE all the produce I buy
The first resolution may be a topic for a different post (I did find a budget tracking app I like), but it's definitely connected to the second resolution -- I can't believe how much money I waste buying produce that ends up spoiling before I get around to using it. My grandiose visions of preparing an entire week's worth of fruit salads and chopped veggies for healthy snacking at work...well, let's just say that rarely works out quite like I had planned.
We've got a small Farmer's Market here in town. On Saturday mornings, P (my daughter) and I will get up and head downtown to the Farmer's Market to see what's for sale. That's often where I'll come up with ideas for the morning's breakfast, and meals throughout the week. We'll walk down the row (yup, that's right -- one row; try to contain your jealousy), P eyeing the other babies and "puppies" (no matter how old, they're all puppies to her, and she loves them all), me checking out the produce and picking up whatever inspires me. Then back to home for breakfast, and off to my 9:00 am yoga class! While I struggle to get my heels on the ground in downward dog (hasn't happened yet), P plays in the gym's nursery. Then off to the grocery store to get whatever couldn't be had at the Farmer's Market, and back to home for naps. It's a nice morning routine.
Right now, in our little part of Texas, 'tis the season for amazingly sweet, drip-down-your-face-juicy peaches. They're sold by the basketful at the Farmer's Market -- even a little basket is still a lot of peaches! Pecans are another local favorite. I love pecans...someday when I get my forever home, I'm going to have a pecan tree. And a peach tree. And a Pink Lady apple tree. Of course, I need to learn how to turn my Black Thumb into a Green Thumb first...I already have the senseless deaths of far too many plants on my hands.
Anyway, back to my resolution to actually use all the produce I buy, instead of letting it go to waste. Here's something I came up with to use those delicious peaches I got way too many of at the Farmer's Market, and it turned out great!
Peach-Pecan Salad
1 cup fresh spinach1 fresh peach
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Approx 1/2 tsp raspberry balsamic vinegar
Chop the peach into small pieces, and layer over the spinach. Add crumbled feta and chopped pecans, then a light drizzle of raspberry balsamic vinegar -- just enough to add a tiny zing, without drenching everything. Toss and eat straight from the bowl, or fill a whole-grain pita pocket. Delicious!
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| I made a little salad for the munchkin, too. |
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| Trust me, this looks much better in person -- my photography skills need some work! |
So there's one delicious way to use that produce -- more to follow!
- Brandy
