Our favorite local café and grocery posted a delicious looking salad and I decided to make it at home. I added blueberries because they are also in season here. This was so good. The fresh sweet peaches and blueberries, the acid punch from the fresh tomatoes, the crunchy salty bacon, the tart creaminess from the feta and the herbaceous, sweet, tart vinaigrette. Just so good!

Ingredients for Peach, Blueberry, Feta and Bacon Salad

• Fresh local salad mix (we use greens from Tyger River Smart Farm)
• 1-2 fresh local peaches, pitted and chopped
• 1 cup fresh local blueberries
• 6-8 fresh local cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 3-4 oz aged Greek feta cheese, diced
• 2-3 thick cut bacon (we prefer Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked)
• 1 quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced
• 2-3 tbsp fresh basil, minced finely
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (we used aged blueberry and ginger balsamic from Palmetto Olive Oil Co.)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper (we prefer black peppercorns from Tea and Spice Exchange)

Directions for Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. Add the balsamic, Dijon mustard, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
2. Slow drizzle olive oil and continue whisking to combine. Mix in the fresh minced basil to combine.
3. Add the thinly sliced red onion. This takes some bite out of the onion. If you like raw onion, which we do, skip this step.
4. Cover and keep cool.

Directions for Peach, Blueberry, Feta and Bacon Salad

1. Place the feta cheese in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. This makes the cheese easier to dice. We like the larger dice versus the smaller crumble.
2. Cook bacon. We like to cook slowly in the oven, but microwave works in a pinch. Drain on paper towels and then chop.
3. We chopped the salad greens to make it easier to eat.
4. Build the salad. In a large mixing bowel add the greens, peach, blueberries, feta and bacon. If you didn’t add the red onion to the vinaigrette, add them now.
5. When ready to serve, pour the vinaigrette on the edges of the mixing bowel, then toss combine.
6. We served with pork chops and twice baked potatoes but this salad is great as a stand alone for a light lunch or dinner. Enjoy.