Peach and Kale Salad

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IMG_4757Peaches are absolutely lovely fruits. As a child, I was always a little weirded out by the fuzzy skin, but the sweet juiciness of ripe peaches always persuaded me to nibble on them. Peaches are ripened by the heat of the sun, and their peak season is now. Friendly City has several crates waiting to meet you in the produce section. Peach cobbler with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or peach preserves over a slice of toast are delicious ways to enjoy peaches. In the hot summertime, nothing is as irresistible as a ripe peach!

For that reason, I am so happy to share this awesome recipe! My mom made a delicious Peach-Kale Salad for our family, and I must give her all the credit for such a brilliant idea. (Moms rock, right?) We all loved it, and I attribute that to the sweetness of the ripe peaches.

Ingredients
2 bunches kale
2 large peaches, sliced
¼ cup nuts, chopped

for vinaigrette
¼ c. olive oil
¼ c. apple cider vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
2 T. honey
1 lemon, juiced
1 T. ground Dijon mustard

First, prepare the vinaigrette by mixing the ingredients in a small bowl. Wisk lightly or mix gently with a spoon. Second, slice peaches thinly for arrangement. It is best to prepare the vinaigrette and peaches before cooking the kale because the greens will cook very quickly. Next, pick the kale leaves from the stems. Heat a large sauté pan with olive oil, enough to cover most of the pan surface. Add kale leaves to the pan on medium heat. Stir and flip the kale as it cooks. After about 2 minutes, the kale will be slightly wilted. This is the perfect for your salad! Place the wilted kale in a large serving bowl, and toss with the chopped nuts. The nuts give the salad a good crunch. I chose sliced almonds, but I believe that other nuts would taste great too. Add as much vinaigrette you like to your salad. I pour a few tablespoons overtop of the kale, and save the rest for other dishes and salads later in the week. The dressing goes great over raw salads, couscous, quinoa, and roasted veggies. Lastly, arrange the peaches over the kale. The final dish will be beautifully bright and so tasty.

Best of luck! I hope that you enjoy this wonderful summer salad!

 

Madeleine Wirth

Madeleine is a senior at James Madison University, studying to be a registered dietitian. She loves exploring recipes with fresh and nutritious ingredients. As a native to the Shenandoah Valley, she passionately supports the local food economy in Harrisonburg!