Nectarines and peaches are ridiculously good right now. There’s no substitute for perfectly ripe, sweet, in-season fruit!
This refreshing salad combines the sweetness of fresh nectarines and corn with the protein-packed goodness of quinoa. With quinoa as a base, this salad is hearty enough to eat as a lunch or light dinner. It also pairs incredibly well with grilled steak or chicken.
Summer Corn & Nectarine Quinoa Salad
(Makes about 6 servings )
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons champagne or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons raw honey
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 nearly ripe nectarines or peaches, pitted, cut into slices
- 2 ears fresh corn, grilled, steamed or raw, kernels removed from the cob (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, cut into slices
- 1 small shallot or ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup mixed fresh herbs (such as basil, mint, cilantro and/or chives), chopped
- ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
- ¼ cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place quinoa, nectarines and/or peaches, corn, tomatoes, avocado, shallot and herbs in a large salad bowl; drizzle with dressing. Toss gently to coat; sprinkle with feta cheese and pumpkin seeds. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
DIY Berry Frozen Yogurt
Using four simple ingredients and a food processor, you can make a healthy, refreshing frozen yogurt at home in just minutes! Experiment with different frozen fruits to customize the flavor.
This recipe requires frozen fruit. If you only have fresh, just wash and dry your fruit, then lay it out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Berries can be left whole (hull strawberries, pit cherries), and larger fruit should be cored, pitted and sliced or chopped. Freeze until solid. Put the frozen fruit in a zip-top freezer bag and store it in the freezer until ready to use.
Berry Frozen Yogurt
(Makes about 3 ½ cups)
- 4 cups frozen berries or sliced fruit
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup raw honey or agave nectar (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Place berries in a food processor container with a blade attachment; cover and process until crumbled. Add yogurt, honey and lemon juice; cover and process for a couple of minutes until smooth.
Serve right away for more of a thick smoothie consistency, or transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container, cover and freeze for 45 minutes for more of a “froyo” consistency. If frozen yogurt is left in the freezer for several hours, it will get very hard. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften before serving.
Stay cool!
Chris Garboski managed the HQ test kitchen at Nestle and produced more than a thousand recipes in her 25 years with the company. Her proudest accomplishment has been raising triplets.
