Orange & Avocado Salad with Summer Peach Bruschetta

Summer 2018 - my time to think light and refreshing when it comes to meal planning.  & I am really feeling the meat free/paleo inspired thing still.  When I ate super strict paleo, I felt my very best.  I had so much energy to workout and it really helped me keep the pounds off without having to really thing about it.  For me it was proof that clean eating works and leaves your body at its best while eliminating the need to calorie count or any other BS.  So ya - sign me up for that!    But with Jordan currently vibing the vegetarian diet, I am conjuring up my own meals to satisfy our two dietary preferences.  & that pretty much equates to super clean eating.   Lots of veggies & lots of fruits, but with the elimination of meat I am adding in some moderate amount of bread and cheese to keep meal time fun.  Operative word being moderate.  I am always focused on veggies and the good stuff being the star of a meal, and any little cheese or bready additions remain just a small addition to bring some variety to our meal.  

Tonight I am taking advantage of the hot weather and summer produce to bring a seasonal twist to my favorite meal time combo - salad and bruschetta.  Seriously one of the quickest and easiest meals to whip up, and creating a cute little bruschetta plate makes me feel real chef-y.  My salad is strictly good stuff - avocados, oranges, & pistachios drizzles with a tangy vinaigrette.  And I am balancing out the addition of bread and cheese from the bruschetta by adding only a small amount of goat cheese and loading it with summer white peaches (my current obsession).  Summer peaches are ALWAYS a favorite for me, and a real treat, so being able to use them in a fun and different way, like on a bruschetta, is a hit at my house.  It has been another day of DIY home renovation, so this is the perfect little dish to whip up quickly for just Jordan and I as we end our day on the couch watching a DeNiro classic - Taxi Driver.  Perfect little weeknight datenight.

For the Salad (serves 2)
4 cups mixed greens
1/2 avocado, slices
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
2 tbsp pistachios, meat only, chopped
Honey mustard dressing (I make my own with 3 tbsp Dijon, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp EVOO, pinch of salt and pepper; add more honey or vinegar to taste)

For the Bruschetta 
1 demi baguette
1 white peach, cut into 1/2 thick slices
2-4 ounces goat cheese
1 heaping tbsp basil, finely chopped
honey (for drizzling)

If your going to mix up your own salad dressing start with that!!  Salad dressing is one of those things that is super easy and forgiving to whip up, and something you can have fun with and adjust the ingredients to your liking.  Start with the base I have laid out, and simply go from there.  If you want it to be sweeter, add more honey.  If you want it to be more runny, add another tbsp of EVOO or vinegar.  Have fun with it!! 

Next assemble the salad bowls.  Split the lettuce between the two bowls.  Sprinkle about a tbsp of pistachios and 8-9 mandarin oranges over each bowl.  Finish by laying 1/4 of a sliced avocado over the top of the salad, spreading the avocado slices in a single layer.  Place in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Now you can move to assembling the bruschetta.  Split the baguette and toast in the over on 350 for 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove for the oven and immediately spread a thin layer of the goat cheese over each piece of bread.  Top with a layer of the sliced peaches.  Finish with a pinch of basil that you can sprinkle over the top and drizzle with a bit of honey.  

Finish by taking the salad out of the fridge and drizzling a bit of the dressing over the top.  You're ready to eat!