Farmers Market Summer Salad

A beautiful summer salad is something we could all afford to eat more regularly.  Most people go to farmer’s markets and are excited to buy a collection of beautiful seasonal fruits and vegetables; but later at home, it is not always clear what to make with the cornucopia of items purchased.  When in doubt, I say make a beautiful, bountiful, colorful, farm-fresh salad.

I like to toss my salad with a light, simple dressing that compliments the fresh, earthy farm-to-table flavors.  My husband recently discovered how great a simple champagne vinaigrette can be.  I could not agree more.  It is a classic dressing, and a welcome change from the overused (and often poorly made) balsamic vinaigrette.  My best advice for making your salad dressing is to flavor balance and adjust the seasoning to your liking.  And when dressing the salad, less is always more.  Overdressed salads are heavy and unappealing, and cause the greens to wilt.  Dress a salad right before serving and toss it gently to incorporate and coat the fresh vegetables. Like my kale salad, this summer salad is a great and easy go-to for me each week.

The vegetables in this recipe came from a quaint local market near me, a small operation that began in 1992.   Here I can find a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables among other local treats from nearby farmers in the Central Valley, Half Moon Bay, and Watsonville.  Buying my fruits and vegetables at this market supports these local farmers.  The local organization that organizes the market arranges for farmers to donate extra produce left over at the end of the event to organizations that feed the homeless.  So this is a lovely salad and, if you can, buying the ingredients at a local farmers market like mine can support local farmers and local communities.