In the summer time, I am all about salads. In July and August in particular, I am all about local fruit and vegetables that are in season. Have you ever used yellow plums in your salads? I really advocate taking advantage of this seasonal fruit! My healthy and beautiful Yellow Plum Salad with Arugula, Grapefruit & Cottage Cheese stars Ontario yellow plums and will surprise you with an unusual combination of flavors and textures.

The tanginess of the yellow plums and dried cherries complement peppery arugula while light bitterness of pink grapefruit mingles well with sweet pine nuts and creamy cottage cheese. The home-made salad dressing that blends olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey, will accentuate these complementary sweet and tangy flavors.

Serve this Yellow Plum Salad with Arugula, Grapefruit & Cottage Cheese salad as a light lunch or as a side dish for grilled chicken or salmon. It pairs well with flamboyant Gewürztraminer or crisp Pinot Grigio.

If you aren’t big on cottage cheese, you can substitute ricotta or goat cheese. But remember, goat cheese is a bit salty and, therefore, might over-complicate the flavors. If you choose a stronger-flavored cheese, you might also substitute baby spinach for the arugula.

Health benefits of yellow plums

Plums are low in calories and hold numerous health promoting compounds, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Certain health benefiting compounds present in the plums such as dietary fiber and sorbitol have been found to help regulate the smooth digestive system functioning.

Fresh plums, especially yellow varieties, are a moderate source of vitamin-A and β -carotene which are essential for good eyesight.

The fruit also has health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants in significant amounts. These compounds help act as scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals that play a role in aging and various disease processes.

Selection and storage

Plums are at their best in mid summer. Look for fresh fruits featuring light yellow color and a full, smooth, relatively heavy feel. They should yield to gentle pressure, especially at the end opposite the stem. Good quality ripe plums should have a distinctively “plumy,” sweet aroma.

Avoid those with excess softness, or with cuts or bruises. Ripen plums at room temperature out of direct sunlight or in a paper bag. Ripe plums should be refrigerated and eaten as soon as possible.

Craving more summer salads?

Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Passion Fruit

Spinach Blueberries Salad with Tomatoes & Cucumbers