End of Summer Salad
Happy Monday! If you follow on snapchat or instagram, you may have seen that we were in Disney World this weekend. It was a last minute trip and quite the epic ending to our summer break. And we had the best time! I'll be sharing more photos later in the week.
Anyway, school started today and as we expected, we're pretty exhausted from the weekend away. In preparation for school though, last week knowing that I wouldn't have time this weekend, I baked some of the kids' favorite sweets as it has become part of my back to school tradition -- banana bread muffins and homemade graham crackers. I like doing this to fill their lunch box with yummy and {semi} healthy snacks. Plus, I think it adds a special touch to their lunch box.
But let's get to today's post. To get back to our healthy habits, I'm trying to incorporate more salad recipes into our weekly repertoire. Today, I made this delicious salad for lunch full of summer goodness -- heirloom tomatoes, ripe white nectarines, a few leaves of fresh mint, and homemade marinated feta. If you need some crunch, add some pita chips. This salad just screams end of summer so serve it at your next backyard barbecue.
Seriously, where did summer go?
Marinated Feta with Nectarine and Heirloom Tomato Salad
One 8-ounce block of feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slabs3 tablespoons red wine vinegar1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil1 teaspoon crushed coriander seedsKosher saltPepper2 nectarines—halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch wedges2 medium heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces1 1/2 cups broken pita chipsfresh mint leaves or dill, plus small sprigs for garnish
Place the feta in a small rimmed dish in an even layer. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the olive oil, coriander seeds and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the feta and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning the cheese over after 15 minutes.
Transfer the feta to plates or a platter. In a large bowl, toss the nectarines with the tomatoes, pita chips and the feta marinade. Add the chopped dill and season with salt and pepper; toss again. Spoon the salad over the feta and garnish with mint or dill sprigs. Serve right away.
MAKE AHEADThe marinated feta can be refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine