Mother Nature delivered this weekend, just as predicted. The weather was beautiful – warm and sunny with a lovely little Fall breeze. Apparently Summer isn’t quite ready to leave us, and to be honest, I’m glad she stuck around. I spent most of my time outside, reading another good book and browning my skin a little bit more. I hung out with friends at a big BBQ, and strolled along Whyte Avenue in the wee hours of the morning in just a light sweater. I even went for a run yesterday, breaking in my legs for what I hope to be an Autumn filled with cool evenings, perfect for running. There is a 10km run at the end of the month, and it’s calling my name.

Isn’t it interesting how the weather affects appetite? What you want to eat and how you want to prepare it? Just a few days ago I was craving a scone filled with the flavors of Fall, and now all I want to eat is fresh summer fruit and barbequed goodness. Craziness. My uncle just returned from BC and brought with him an enormous amount of fresh peaches to share. What do you do when you’re given 5 dozen fresh peaches? You eat them at every opportunity – breakfast, lunch, and supper. And dessert of course.

This weekend, I made this salad twice. It was so simple, yet so delicious. Grilling the peaches does wild (and good) things to their flavor, and the goat cheese and balsamic reduction are the perfect accompaniment. I could eat this every day. And then I would eat peach pie for dessert. Summer love.

4 cups of mixed greens

2 peaches, cut in half and pitted

4 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 cup of goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fire up your grill to medium high heat. Brush the peaches with 2 tsp. of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Grill the peaches, cut side down, for about 4-5 minutes, until lightly charred. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. In the meantime, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Allow the balsamic vinegar to reduce, becoming slightly thick and syrupy. This will take about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Prepare the mixed greens by tossing with the remaining olive oil, and seasoning with salt and pepper. To plate the salad, fill each plate with about 1 cup of the mixed greens. Slice each peach half into 4, and place over the greens. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese, and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Enjoy! Serves 4.