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Peach Salad with Walnut Dressing

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Ingredients
  

For the Salad:

  • 2 ripe peaches, unpeeled, sliced or cut in chunks 
  • 2 ripe nectarines, sliced
  • 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
  • 1 cup celeriac, peeled and shredded (use box grater)
  • 6 cups lettuce greens, or greens of choice

For the Walnut Dressing:

  • ¾ to 1 cup walnuts, or nuts of choice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest 
  • 1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
  • 1 to 2 tsp. thyme or chives, chopped
  • ½ cup olive oil

For the Garnish and Other Add-in Ideas:

  • Avocado, chopped/sliced
  • Feta or goat cheese
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • Various herbs

Instructions
 

To toast walnuts:

  • Should be done first - while nuts are toasting, do all of the chopping and cutting.
  • Pre-heat oven or toaster oven to 350°F.
  • Place walnuts in a baking pan.
  • Place in pre-heated oven and roast for 8 to11 minutes until fragrant.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool while still in baking pan.

To assemble salad:

  • Place greens on a platter or wide-mouthed bowl.
  • Scatter peaches, nectarines, cucumbers and any other garnish/fillings on top.

To prepare the walnut dressing:

  • Add all walnut dressing ingredients to a food processor.
  • Pulse until walnuts are coarsely chopped; if a processor is not available, chop walnuts;. 
  • Once walnuts are chopped, add other ingredients, except oil; pulse until well blended.
  • Add oil and pulse until well blended. 
  • Drizzle dressing over peach salad.

Notes

The peach salad can be prepped ahead; just add the walnut dressing, which can be made several days ahead, before serving. 
If you are using avocado, apples or pears and want to cut them up a couple of hours ahead, toss them with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from browning.