North Carolina Peach & Herb Salad with Cooling Lemon-Mint Dressing

Dear friends,

Life asked me to pause these past weeks. July carried me to Greece, where I walked the landscapes of my ancestors and felt deeply rooted in the rhythms of sea, mountain, and olive grove. When I returned home, I was met with illness in my own body and the tender reality of my mother-in-law’s final chapter in North Carolina.

It’s been a season of stillness, of grief, of sitting at bedsides and in waiting rooms, of long car rides between states. And yet, in the quietest corners, nourishment found me.

One day, at a roadside stand in North Carolina, I picked up peaches. Their sweetness felt almost out of place in such a heavy time, and yet they reminded me of something essential:

✨ Nourishment is not only what we eat. It is the sweetness we allow ourselves to notice, even in hard seasons. It is the rhythms of nature that keep offering balance. It is the act of pausing long enough to receive what is already here.

3 takeaways I want to leave with you (from both Greece and North Carolina):

1. Pause is part of the rhythm. Just as summer slows fruit into ripeness, our own seasons of stillness are not wasted. They prepare us for what’s next.

2. Food reflects what we need. In Greece, I found grounding in olive oil and tomatoes under the hot sun. In North Carolina, peaches and mint reminded me of sweetness and cooling when life felt fiery and overwhelming.

3. Nourishment is layered. It’s not just recipes—it’s grief, rest, ancestry, sunlight, family, community. When we widen our view, the kitchen becomes a mirror of life itself.

   
   

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A Seasonal Recipe for You

Here’s the simple dish I’ve been leaning on—light, cooling, and sweet enough to remind us of balance in late summer:

North Carolina Peach & Herb Salad with Cooling Lemon-Mint Dressing

You’ll need:

• 2 ripe North Carolina peaches, sliced

• 2 cups mixed greens (arugula, baby spinach, or tender lettuces)

• A handful of fresh mint + basil leaves

• ¼ cup toasted pecans

Cooling Lemon-Mint Dressing (Pitta-pacifying):

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp local honey (or maple syrup if vegan)

• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

• Pinch of ground coriander or fennel

• Sea salt, to taste

Whisk the dressing, toss greens lightly, then layer peaches, herbs, and pecans. Serve this North Carolina Peach & Herb Salad immediately, and let each bite remind you that nourishment can be simple, cooling, and grounding.

Alternative: Grilled Peach Variation:

For a more grounding, late-summer twist, grill your peaches before adding them to the salad. Slice peaches into halves or thick wedges, brush lightly with olive oil, and grill 2–3 minutes per side until softened with visible grill marks. Let them cool slightly, then layer into the salad. The smoky-sweet flavor pairs beautifully with the cooling lemon-mint dressing and adds depth as we transition toward fall.

For this variation, use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing — its deeper caramel note pairs beautifully with the smoky-sweet peaches, adding richness as we transition toward fall.

Optional Cheese Pairing:

For extra creaminess or savory contrast, you can add a plant-based cheese:

• Vegan feta (salty, tangy — brightens the peaches)

• Vegan ricotta (light, cooling — balances the crunch)

• Aged cashew or almond cheese (nutty, grounding — perfect with grilled peaches)

  
  

Not necessary, but a beautiful layer if you want to play with texture and depth.

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As we turn toward fall, I’ll be sharing more recipes and reflections on how to realign the kitchen—and ourselves—with the shifting season. Thank you for your patience, and for walking alongside me even in the quiet.

With gratitude,

Christina