Last night I made the best salad ever. There’s a backstory to this so I’ll tell it really quickly— basically, I used to have a salad phobia. I LOVED eating salads…but I could only eat them at restaurants when they were prepared for me. If I tried to make my own salad, I would feel sick when I tried to eat it and it always tasted awful. Strange, right?
In the past year, I’ve been experimenting more and I’ve made a few salads that I have enjoyed—but none of them were better than the one I made last night.
I discovered it when flipping through my latest issue of Women’s Health Magazine (I’m a loyal and loving subscriber) and I was intrigued because the recipe called for peaches, which I absolutely love. In fact, I’ve had a salad before at Ruggles Green that has peaches and it was delightful.
After running errands all day, H and I stopped at the grocery store and I bought all of the ingredients I would need to make the ir “Peach Salad with Basil Oil.” This recipe is from the July/August 2012 issue of Women’s Health Magazine, and I credit the below photo to them as I couldn’t find the link to this recipe on their website.
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Baby Arugula
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Peaches
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Walnuts
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Mozarella Cheese
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Salt
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White Wine Vinegar
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Fresh Basil Leaves
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Knife for chopping
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food processor
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Mixing spoons or tongs
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1 large bowl
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Measuring cups/spoons
Small Town Gal says
your salad looks amazing, exactly like the one in the magazine 🙂 Thanks for sharing, I love fruit in my salad and would give it a try.
JayneBecca says
This looks yummy & pretty simple to make! Great recipe, I'll try it out once the weather heats up in the UK & I'm craving a yummy salad! x
KellyMarie says
This looks so good! How exactly did you make the dressing?
KellyMarie says
This looks so good! How exactly did you make the dressing?
[email protected] says
@kelly— enlarge the photo of the recipe, the directions are there.
thank you 🙂
Mrs. V says
That looks amazing. I love putting fruit in my salad.
My favorite salad that I make all the time is pretty simple. Spring mix lettuce, chopped apples or pears, walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese. I add some grilled chicken if I want something more substantial and top it with olive oil and balsamic.
Grass Skirt says
This looks SO good! I am definitely going to try to make it. 🙂 I am a big salad lover and have quite a few favorites, including:
https://thegrassskirtblog.com/2011/03/08/crazy-for-kale/
https://thegrassskirtblog.com/2011/02/01/my-big-fat-greek-dinner/
https://thegrassskirtblog.com/2011/04/27/thanks-mom/
SShaw says
That looks like one to try, especially since the peaches are so good right now.
This is one of my favorites in the summer:
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spinach-shrimp-avocado-salad-recipe-00000000031633/index.html
Sarah says
Another fab salad you have to try:
Spinach
Slivered Almonds
Julienned Carrots
Strawberries
Goat Cheese
Grilled Chicken
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
A restaurant I frequently visit has a Black and Blue salad that I always get:
Mixed Lettuces
Blackened Grilled Chicken
Julienned Carrots
Blue Cheese
Fruit of the Day (whatever they have, I've had pineapple and mandarin oranges, blueberries and grapes, strawberries, and each combo is just as yummy as the last!)
Meg O. says
That looks incredible! Peaches, feta, basil… what's not to love?? I must try this soon! I love anything with arugula – it's my favorite green. I've found that when I buy the greens I like (arugula, baby spinach, etc.) I end up enjoying my salad much more. There's this organic mix at HEB that is a baby spinach and arugula blend that has some other herbs in it like fresh dill and it is so yummy!! Plus, those greens are better for you anyway! We try to eat a salad every night with dinner, even if it is just that blend with some cherry tomatoes. Much better than plain lettuce and romaine.
Abby says
It's so nice to hear that someone felt the same as I do about salads! I only like salads prepared by someone other than myself! I don't know why but whenever I try to make them for myself I can't eat it – I take one bite and I'm done. I'm going to have to try this recipe though and see if I have a change of heart. Haha – Thank you for sharing!
Abby says
It's so nice to see that someone felt the same as I do about salads! I don't know what it is – but I can only eat salads that someone else has prepared. Every time I try to make myself a salad it completely loses it's appeal. I end up taking one bite and I'm done. I'm going to give this one a try though – it looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
~JLynn~ says
That looks delicious!! I have to make it now! I love anything with peaches in it! I love your pink chopping knife too! Where did you get it?
[email protected] says
@JLynn–the knife was a gift from a friend…not sure where she got it, sorry 🙁
Rubiiee says
This looks perfectly delicious! I love making salads, might give this one a try :]!
Liz Lairet says
thank you for the healthy and yummy recipe! please do moreeeee!!!!
CiCi says
I LOVE this post! And Veronika, I must say, I am loving the direction your blog is taking. It is one of the firs sites I check in the morning! Your YouTube videos are also great too. Keep it up lady! 🙂
I've been really into salads lately as it has been SO hot in the north east (although probably not as hot as Texas!) This recipe is one that we took from the TGI Fridays menu and made it our own! If you want the Friday's version, they only have it in the summer months!
So here it is; Strawberry Fields Salad Courtney's (CiCi's) Way!
So you can use any lettuce/ arugula/ spinach, ect.
Shred as much fresh Parmesan as you want on each salad.
Add any kind of nut if you are feeling nutty 😉
Chop a bunch of fresh delicious strawberries and but them in each bowl
Add dressing. I prefer Pomegranate or Raspberry vinaigrette, but any balsamic vinaigrette will taste great.
Some options:
I love throwing other fruits in there- fresh blueberries, a chopped up apple, ect. Or add nothing extra at all! It tastes great on its own! 🙂
Sometimes we also grill two small boneless skinless chicken breasts and chop those up into the salad too. We have this marinade here called Chiavetta's- and it is TO DIE FOR when you put chicken marinated in that into the salad. I am not sure if it is a regional dressing though. (I'm in Buffalo). If you can find it, you won't be disappointed! And it's a quick marinade- only 30 minutes- so you don't have to prepare ahead of time. 🙂
Ok this is really long. Hope his gives you another fun idea!
CiCi~
gottalovekayo says
This looks delicious and so summery! Veronika, where are your square plates from? They are a nice twist on a classic. -Katie
Lauren says
looks delish! Good job, Veronika!
Andrea Clare says
yummm that does look good. I don't know what it is but salads are always 100 time better in a restaurant…..I need to practice my salad making skills as well
http://www.andrea-clare.blogspot.com
Ksenia A says
Mm, yum-yum!
I will surely try this recipe, we love such salads! Thanks!
PS. And you like to cook?
Ksenia A says
It is my favourite recipe of salad, to prepare it very simply. It is a yummy!
https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Tomato-Mozzarella-Salad-Recipezaar_1
aponystale says
STOP! I want to eat this!
Emily says
This sounds really good! I'm just getting into fruit in salads, so now I just have to wait for peach season to roll around again in the southern hemisphere.
Chloe says
*stomach rumbles, rumbles, rumbles*
indeazgirl says
In the same issue, the apricot and shrimp grilled skewers are DELICIOUS! I used tarragon because I was out of parsley, as well as grapeseed oil instead of canola. Awesome!
Sarah says
Saw this salad on pinterest the other day and just tried it out. I replaced the peaches with mango's as the peaches here are not ripe at the moment and the result = fantastic!!! Great salad!!! =)
Megan says
Thanks for sharing this recipe! It's so good that I've been making it for my lunches all week. It also great with raspberry vinaigrette.
Dolph ziggler says
A huge round of applause, keep it up.
https://www.yazpulmonaryembolismnews.com/
5300e348-ffc0-11e1-a081-000bcdcb471e says
The recipe link is up on the Women's Health site 🙂
https://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/peach-salad-with-basil-oil.aspx
-Emi
Vargo says
Im a huge salad fan. This recipe is my all time FAVE for me and my best friend. I actually got it from her sister. We serve it at showers and holiday parties, everyone ALWAYS talks about it and asks for the recipe. The dressing makes a lot. The measurements below are more for a party-sized group. I usually cut the ingredients in half because that's easiest and still have plenty left over. Its soooooo oooo good.
When I make it, I chill my salad bowl in the fridge or freezer before hand, because I love salad from cold bowls. I chill it for like a few hours. It's just a nice touch. I get like a spinach mix from HEB. I put feta cheese crumbles in my salad and I get honey toasted pecans from HEB too and put those in my salad. They are in the Healthy Living Section where you pay by the pound for what you get. Now I LOVE these pecans, so I put a ton in my salad and I eat the rest as fast as I can because I cannot live without getting a lot of them. They are so, so, soooo good. And the candied pecans with the feta and the balsamic is a combination that is last meal worthy. Dried cranberrys like Craisins are good in it too, or use goat cheese instead of feta for a variation.
Okay, here's the dressing recipe:
2 small shallots minced
2 garlic cloves minced
3 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
6 Tablespoons of Honey
1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 cup of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Whisk it all together and put in the container you want to store it in, and put it the fridge before using it so it will all settle together. like 30 minutes to an hour is fine. Shake well before pouring! For a special touch, serve in chilled salad bowls.