Late Summer Salad
If you know me, you've probably eaten one of my salads.
I've brought them to family dinners, neighborhood get-togethers, and more evenings than I can count when someone simply needed a meal.
They're my default.
They're also the meal I make when life feels wonderfully full and dinner needs to come together without much thought.
For me, salads were the first gentle introduction to eating seasonally.
It's something I'm still learning.
I don't have a garden overflowing with vegetables, and I certainly don't have every season memorized. More often than not, you'll find me wandering the produce aisle or stopping at a little roadside stand, filling my basket with whatever looks beautiful that week.
I've discovered that eating seasonally isn't about following strict rules.
It's about paying attention.
Noticing when tomatoes finally taste like tomatoes again.
When peaches perfume the whole kitchen.
When blueberries stain little fingers.
When lettuce is crisp and vibrant enough to build dinner around.
There's something comforting about letting the season decide what the meal will be.
And maybe that's why I love salads so much.
They've taught me to simplify.
To trust that good ingredients don't need much.
To let the food speak for itself.
As a busy mom, that's music to my ears.
My Late Summer Favorite
Deep, colorful greens.
Sweet slices of ripe plum.
Creamy goat cheese.
Crunchy pistachios.
It's simple, colorful, and somehow tastes like late August.
Sometimes I'll swap the plums for peaches—which happened recently when I made this salad for my sister. We paired it with a glass of prosecco and spent the evening catching up, and it reminded me that some of the best meals aren't elaborate at all.
They're simply shared with people you love.
Ingredients
1–2 generous handfuls mixed greens
3–4 ripe plums, sliced
Goat cheese, crumbled
Handful of roasted pistachios
Optional:
Grilled chicken
Serve with one of the dressings below.
My Favorite Dressings
I almost always keep one homemade dressing in the refrigerator because they come together in just a few minutes and make even the simplest salad feel special.
Greek Dressing: whisk together 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano (rubbed between your palms), 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper
White Balsamic Vinaigrette: whisk together 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon mild honey, 1 small garlic clove, finely minced, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste), 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Dietary Note: Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free. For a vegan alternative, substitute the honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
Whether you're gathering vegetables from your own garden, stopping by the farmers market, or simply choosing whatever looks freshest at the grocery store, I hope this salad reminds you that eating seasonally doesn't have to be complicated.
I'm still learning, too.
Maybe that's the beauty of it.
Each season offers something new to discover.
I hope you make this for someone you love, bring it to a table full of friends, or enjoy it on an ordinary Tuesday when dinner doesn't need to be anything more than simple and nourishing.
Sometimes the best meals are the ones that quietly become part of your routine.
What's in Season Right Now (Late Summer)
One of the easiest ways I've learned to eat seasonally is to simply start with what's already being harvested. If you're wandering your local farmers market or produce stand, keep an eye out for:
Tomatoes
Sweet corn
Peaches
Plums
Blueberries
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Fresh herbs
Bell peppers
Green beans
Lettuce
Basil
I don't always use everything on this list—but it's a wonderful place to begin when you're wondering what to make.
If You Have Extra…
Two or three ideas for using leftover produce
Extra peaches? Grill them.
Extra basil? Freeze into pesto.
Extra plums? Bake them into a crisp.
Collected with Care- I hope you gather whatever looks beautiful this season, bring it home, and create a meal that feels like late summer, you can find my current serving favorites here.
I hope this inspires a recipe of your own.
