Summer Salad with Peaches, Avocado and Sunflower Vinaigrette

They don’t have celebrity wattage or mass-marketability. They won’t pop up in gossip magazines or on your computer screen. But these stars of summer, delicate and dignified, offer a momentary respite from our noisy lives. For me, summertime means being able to stop and smell the wildflowers.

On a picturesque hike up Aspen Mountain last week, I did just that. In fact, a cluster of columbines and a sunny patch of sunflowers are what inspired this luminous salad, shared with friends over this week’s holiday.

Wildflower honey and sunflower seeds give the creamy vinaigrette its unique twist, perfect for dressing wild greens, juicy peaches, and avocados. Drizzle it over grilled vegetables, or top the salad with slices of grilled tempeh or chicken for a light lunch. Between bites, you might find yourself imagining a delightful field like the one above.

And next time you spot a wildflower, stop to notice — it’s a gentle reminder to slow down and savor summer while it lasts.

6 servings

Sunflower Vinaigrette
(Makes 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup warm water
2 lemons, juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 teaspoon wildflower or clover honey
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 medium cloves garlic
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sunflower or olive oil

6 cups wild greens or a mix of baby greens and herbs
2 ripe peaches or nectarines, pitted and diced
2 ripe avocados, pitted and diced
4 ounces crumbled local blue cheese
1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare the Sunflower Vinaigrette: In a blender, blend the sunflower seeds with water until smooth. Add the lemon juice, honey, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, a generous pinch of salt and a healthy grind of black pepper. With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil until blended. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

2. In a large salad bowl, toss the greens with some of the vinaigrette so that all the leaves are lightly coated. Top the salad with the diced peaches and avocado. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and sunflower seeds. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

For more satisfying summer salads, click here!

July’s cooking contest is all about pie! You have another month to submit your favorite pie recipe and earn a chance to win some fabulous prizes!