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Summer Grilled Romaine and Peach Cobb Salad

I've been needing a salad in my life lately after going on a two month, I think I'll just eat whatever I want phase.  Which don't get me wrong has been great, and everyone needs to do it every now and then, but it's time to get a grip.  And a good salad always helps to get me going in the right direction.  This summer grilled romaine and peach cobb salad is so yummy that you won't even be thinking about the fact that it is healthy! 

Trust me on this one.

Have you ever had grilled romaine lettuce?  It's grilled quickly just to char to ends which is just enough to still leave a good crunch to the lettuce.  It's delicious!  And we all know I like to grill just about everything!  Remember that grilled romaine wedge salad that I had in Lafayette a couple of weekends ago?  Well that salad inspired this one. 

I love updating a favorite salad with whatever ingredients are in season and that happen to be at the market.  One of my favorite salads is a cobb salad, and really you add any ingredients that tickle your fancy.  This week, I decided to grill some of the components to get a smoky flavor mixed with the other veggies.  The grilled peaches add a nice sweetness, and then it's brought all together with a creamy homemade low-fat blue cheese dressing!

Y'all it's delicious and seriously so good for you despite the bacon crumbles.  But let's be honest can you have a cobb salad without bacon?  I'm not so sure, but I would be okay with using turkey bacon instead.  I however went for the real deal this week.

It's the perfect salad to get you excited about eating a healthy meal.  It's colorful, yummy, and full of texture and flavors.  Serve it with some crusty bread...or don't, either way you are going to want to make this!

Ingredients:

Dressing-

  • 1/2 Cup 2% or Nonfat Greek Yogurt

  • 2 Tbsp. Reduced Fat Mayo

  • 2-4 Tbsp. Milk

  • 2 Tbsp. White Vinegar

  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

  • 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder

  • 1 Chopped Green Onion

  • 1/3 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbled

Salad-

  • 2 Heart of Romaine (Sliced in half with core attached to make 4 halves)

  • 1 Tomato (my neighbor had just dropped off some amazing homegrown ones)

  • 1 Avocado

  • 1 Ear of Fresh Corn

  • 2 Green Onions

  • 1/2 of a Seedless Cucumber

  • 2 Peaches

  • 4 Slices of Bacon

  • Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles for topping

  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Dressing-

  • Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk to thin out if needed. Chill until ready to serve.

Salad-

  • Cook bacon in a skillet or in the oven until crispy. Pat with a paper towel to remove excess grease. Set aside.

  • Preheat grill to medium or medium-low heat depending on how hot your grill cooks.

  • Cut romaine hearts in half and cut the peaches in half removing the pit. Brush both the cut side of the lettuce and the cut side of the peaches lightly with olive oil.

  • Grill corn on each side until it has some char on it, about 4 minutes on each side.

  • After corn is done, place your peaches cut side down and grill on each side for about 3-4 minutes. You don't want to cook too long so that your peaches stay firm.

  • Last, grill your romaine cut side down just about 2 minutes. It will char quickly so just watch closely and use your best judgment when you think it is done. Remove from grill and be careful not to place the hearts on top of each other because the heat will make them wilt further.

  • Chop your cucumber, avocado, green onion, and tomato into uniform size pieces then crumble your bacon, and carefully remove corn kernels off of the cob. Slice your peaches and chop your romaine or you have the option of leaving it in wedge form!

  • To assemble, layer your romaine, corn, veggies, peaches and bacon and then crumble some extra blue cheese on top. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

*Recipe makes two salads.  You can also add boiled eggs to this if you want!

It's like summertime wrapped up into a salad and it's the perfect weeknight dinner when it's too hot to turn the oven on!