Arugula Salad With Grilled Peaches & Goat Cheese

We are fortunate to live in a part of the country where we can fill our baskets with nearly anything we need to put together a healthy meal, any time of the year. But sometimes abundance means it’s hard to figure out just what to make for dinner. Our markets offer a solution to this problem – regular cooking demonstrations and recipe suggestions. The recipe below comes from Whole Foods Market, the generous sponsor of our Kids Cook Program at our PSU Market and Taste the Place at our King Market.

Taste the Place is a unique program that invites shoppers to try recipes that utilize the freshest ingredients our vendors sell. Anything that can’t be found at the market is purchased at the nearby Whole Foods on NE Fremont. Once a month, our market staff selects a recipe they think will highlight the seasonal ingredients the best. July’s recipe, arugula salad with grilled peaches and goat cheese, combines the spiciness of the arugula with the sweetness of the peaches and saltiness of the goat cheese.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups arugula, preferably wild arugula, washed and spun dry
• 1 tablespoon chopped slivered basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled
• 8 small or 6 large ripe peaches
• Handful of Oregon hazelnuts, optional

Method:

1. Heat a griddle over a hot grill or burner, or preheat an indoor grill.
2. Whisk together vinegars, salt and pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Combine arugula and basil in a large bowl.
3. Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Brush cut side with remaining olive oil. Grill for about 2 minutes on the cut side, until seared but intact. Remove from the heat.
4. Toss together arugula mixture, dressing and the peaches. Arrange on a platter. Arrange goat cheese or feta over the top, and serve.

You can find more recipes like this one at WholeFoodsMarket.com