Salad With Cherries, Pistachios, and Goat Cheese

This salad is perfect when ripe, juicy cherries are in season! It is so quick to whip up and the combination of flavors is unbeatable - the tangy goat cheese, sweet cherries, and salty, nutty pistachios. YUM. If you want to make this a more substantial salad for lunch or dinner, add in cooked quinoa or grilled chicken for some added protein.

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

• 4 big handfuls of mixed greens

• 1 cup of cherries, pitted and halved

• ¼ cup of pistachios, shelled

• ¼ cup of goat cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Whisk together the ingredients to make the salad dressing. Taste and add a tsp. of honey or maple syrup if overly tart.

• In a large salad bowl, combine the salad greens with the dressing. 

• Top with cherries, pistachios, and goat cheese.

Health Benefits of Cherries

• They are loaded with antioxidants, which help boost our immune systems and reduce inflammation in our bodies.

• These antioxidants are also connected to improved cardiovascular health.

• Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, cherries have been shown to be beneficial to athletes as they can help with muscle recovery.

• Tart cherries (you can find tart cherry juice at the store) contain melatonin, which can help regulate your circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle). 

Sources and Additional Reading:

• https://www.medicaldaily.com/cherry-health-benefits-6-reasons-why-you-should-eat-more-cherries-246713

• https://draxe.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cherries/

Peach and Arugula Salad

This is the most delicious summer salad!! When peaches are in season, they really can’t be beat. This past week, at the farmer’s market, I picked up some juicy, ripe peaches and goat cheese. In addition, I got some arugula in my farm box and the peppery taste of fresh arugula really puts the boxed kind you get in a grocery store to shame. They taste like completely different lettuces! So for this recipe, I recommend trying to pick up the arugula and peaches at a local farmer’s market, but if that’s not a possibility, it’s still incredibly tasty!!

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

• 6 ounces of arugula leaves

• 2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

• ¼ cup of goat cheese, crumbled

• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup of pistachios

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp good quality extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

• Maldon sea salt

Directions:

• In a salad bowl, combine all salad ingredients

• Drizzle olive oil and balsamic on top and finish with a couple pinches of sea salt

Health Benefits of Arugula:

• Arugula is an excellent source of vitamin K, which is essential for building strong bones and blood clotting

• Arugula is an alkaline food, helping to establish optimal pH levels in our bodies, which we need for strong immune and digestive health. 

• The combination of high-fiber content, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and essential minerals in arugula helps our body remove toxins

• Arugula contains beta-carotene and other nutrients that protect our eyes from blue light and UV rays.

Sources and Additional Reading:

• https://draxe.com/nutrition/arugula/

• https://www.ecowatch.com/9-benefits-of-arugula-1881929191.html 

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/health-benefits-arugula.php