Tomato and Herb Salad

Nice Tomatoes

I love growing tomatoes. I love all of  the different varieties that are available. Each with certain characteristics that make it special.  No matter were you live, in whatever climate, there is a tomato that will grow in your area. If you can't grow your own make sure that you support your local farmers market. There simply is no comparison between home grown tomatoes and supermarket tomatoes.

It seemed like a good idea in May to plant seven cherry tomato plants. I'm rethinking that now as I am overrun with cherry tomatoes. Not really so much of a hardship. I will likely plant the same number of plants again next year.

This salad is a perfect way to enjoy your bountiful harvest. There are very few ingredient in this salad so it is important to make sure that everything is very good quality.

I have used cherry tomatoes here, but any size would be fine.Halve the small tomatoes and quarter the larger ones.

I love the different colours in the bowl

Next step: Make the dressing. This is a very simple vinaigrette. Combine the oil and vinegar, mustard, salt and sugar. Whisk well to combine.

Chop the herbs. There is a lot of herbs in this salad. Add the herbs to the tomatoes.

Pour the dressing on top of the herbs

Toss the tomatoes and herbs gently to combine.

Eat right away or put into fridge for and hour before eating. This salad tastes best at room temperature.

So fresh and tasty. Tastes like summer.

Watch me make it on Youtube 

4-6 cups tomatoes(I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped( can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried basil if fresh is not available)
 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Halve or quarter the tomatoes. Combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Chop the parsley and basil, add the herbs to the salad. Pour the dressing on top of the salad. Toss, gently to coat the tomatoes. Serve immediately, or place salad into the fridge for up to an hour before eating. This salad tastes best at room temperature.

Kale,Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad

This hearty salad is great to have in your summer arsenal as it goes really well with barbecued meat. Its topped with a sweet/tart raspberry vinaigrette that is sweetened with raspberry jam. More like a cold slaw than a salad, it will keep for a few days in the fridge. If you think that you don't like kale, try this, I bet that you will change your mind.

Kale is soooo easy to grow. This is my kale patch. I planted the seeds in April and it was ready to eat by June.

I planted the seeds using my seed tape method(see how to make your own seed tape here.) The plants are perfectly spaced and therefore have the optimal room to grow.

Just break the more mature leaves off and the plant keeps growing.
Another great thing about growing kale is that it will tolerate a few degrees of frost. This is perfect for my short growing season. I will have kale into October.

Kale is readily available these days in the supermarket. Use baby kale if you can find it. The mature kale also works.

A basket full. It looks like a lot, but it's kind of fluffy. I will use half of this basket for the salad and the other half will go into the fridge for another time.

A quick rinse in the sink to remove any dirt. Use a salad spinner to dry the leaves. Place unused kale in a plastic bag. It will keep for a week in the fridge.

If your kale leaves are small, like the one no the left the stem is nice and tender, no need to remove it. If your kale leaves are large, like the one on the right, the stem is tough and fibrous, you must remove it.

Use a large knife and cut the leaves away from the stem. Discard the stem.

Stack the leaves on top of each other.

Slice through the stack so that you have little ribbons of kale. Watch my video to see how I did it.

Keep slicing until you have about 10-12 cups of shredded kale.

Next step. Make the raspberry vinaigrette. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard,green onion, garlic, jam, salt and pepper. Whisk until mixture is combined and emulsified. I have used homemade raspberry jam here but you can use whatever you have. Feel free to add a bit more jam if you prefer it a bit sweeter.

Pour dressing over kale and toss well to coat the leaves. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 3 hours. The leaves will wilt a bit but they will not become soggy, as a lettuce salad would. Baby kale is  more tender than mature kale. You may have to let the salad sit a bit longer if you use mature leaves.

While the leaves are in the fridge, toast the nuts. In an ungreased non-stick pan combine the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and slivered almonds. Cook over low heat until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Watch them closely, they can burn quickly. Let the nuts cool before adding them to the salad.

Just before serving, toss the nuts and cranberries with the kale. Toss to combine. I like to serve my goat cheese on the side, but you could add it to your salad at this point.

It's so delicious. Vary the seeds, and fruit if you wish. Walnuts would be a good substitution. You could also use apples, pears or grapes instead of the cranberries.  

Watch me make it on You Tube.

Makes enough for 6 people

10-12 cups shredded kale leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cups crumbled goats cheese
 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Dressing
6 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon raspberry flavored wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 clove garlic, minced
3 teaspoons raspberry jam(add more if you have a sweet tooth)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Vary the cheese for a different twist. Feta, or grated Swiss would work. I have also changed the fruit up. A sweeter apple, crisp pear or halved red grapes all work with this.

Garden Herb Green Goddess Vegetable Dip and Salad Dressing

 Originating in the 1920's at a San Francisco hotel, Green Goddess Dressing has indeed been around for a long time. This is my version of it. Packed with fresh herby flavour it is great with fresh veggies, a garden salad, just picked tomatoes and it goes particularly well with hard boiled eggs.

Just a few basic ingredients. No fillers or preservatives here.

The avocado makes the texture silky and smooth, the fresh herbs provide a flavour punch and the lemon and yogurt give it a nice tang.

Vary the kinds of herbs to suit your family. As long as they are fresh , any herb could be used.

I like to make this using my ninja blender cup. You will need a blender to make this dressing.

Everything goes onto the blender. Easy peasy.

In the summer, people prefer to have lighter fair like veggies and salads and the like. This dip will take your raw veggies to another level.

It will keep for a week in your refrigerator.

It is also good on sandwiches and wraps.

Or on top of a garden salad.

So fresh and tasty

Watch Me Make It On Youtube.

Garden Herb Green Goddess Vegetable Dip and Salad Dressing
1 ripe avocado

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup fresh herbs, packed ( I like cilantro, parsley, and basil)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 green onion

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon on honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Asian Noodle Salad

Absolutely chalked full  of vegetables, and tossed with a super flavourful dressing. This salad keeps for a week in the fridge and makes an absolute tonne. It does not get soggy at all. The flavour actually deepens as it sits. Whole wheat pasta has about 10 grams of protein per serving making this salad filling and satisfying. It is a great acompanyment for grilled meat but is hearty enough to stand alone as a main dish salad.

Start by breaking the entire box of whole wheat pasta into half inch lengths. Cook the pasta in a large amount of salted water. Cook the pasta until it is soft. Drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking make the dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients into a blender jar and blend until the cilantro is pulverized.

Pour the dressing onto the warm cooked noodles. Toss to coat. Let the noodles and dressing sit at room temperature while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Julienne carrots, snap peas, red pepper, and radishes. I have also made this salad with julienned broccoli stalks or julienned jicama.
Use your discretion and add what you like. I would stick to firmer veggies like celery, 'wetter' veggies like tomatoes or cucumber would make the salad soggy.

Combine everything, mixing well. Put into a covered container and into the fridge. This salad gets better as it sits. Serve cold or at room temperature.




Watch me make it on Youtube




Dressing
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon mild curry paste or 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

The Salad
375 gram package whole wheat spaghetti broken into 1/2 inch lengths, cooked and drained
2 cups snow peas or sugar snap peas, julienned
2 cups carrots, julienned
2 cups red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 cup julienned radish
1 cup julienned broccoli stalk or jicama(optional)

Mediterranean Quinoa and Lentil Salad

A great accompaniment to grilled meat. Hearty enough on its own as vegetarian main dish. It keeps very well. This salad does not get soggy. In fact the flavour deepens as it sits.

Add any vegetable, cooked or raw,that you like. Asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, they all work.

It is very versatile and forgiving.

Best served at room temperature.




Start by cooking the quinoa. Combine 1 cup dried quinoa with 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, stir well, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.

Chop bell pepper and onion into bite sized pieces. Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half. Chop one cup of Italian parsley.

Saute chopped mushrooms in one tbsp olive oil. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, add the peppers and onion. Cook until the peppers are tender-crisp.

I have used Beluga lentils this time. You can use canned lentils or chickpeas or omit them if you wish.
I like Beluga lentils because they don't fall apart when they are cooked.

While the mushrooms cook, make the dressing. Combine oil,vinegar,lemon juice,garlic,salt,sugar,onion powder,oregano,mustard,sugar,thyme and paprika. Whisk until combined well. This is a great all purpose Italian-type dressing. It is great on a green lettuce salad and keeps for one week in the fridge.

Let the vegetables cool. Let the quinoa cool. Combine everything except feta cheese. Toss ingredients with dressing. Top with feta cheese.







Mediterranean Quinoa and Lentil Salad

• 1 (14 oz ) can lentils or chickpeas, drained and rinsed(optional)
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 purple onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup chopped Italian parsley

Dressing

• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Cook quinoa as directed.
Saute mushrooms in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden. Add the chopped pepper and onion and saute until tender crisp. Let the vegetables cool.
Combine drained and rinsed chickpeas or lentils, cooked and cooled quinoa, onion, red pepper, cooled mushrooms, tomatoes,  and parsley.
Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar(or equivalent). Shake or mix until well combined.
Pour dressing over quinoa mixture. Stir gently to combine. Top with feta cheese. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Keeps well for a week in the fridge.

Watch me make it on Youtube

Roasted Beet and Feta Salad With Micro Greens and Balsamic Vinaigrette

I like to serve this salad as a main dish salad. With the feta and cashews it has a decent amount of protein.

 Sounds fancy. It's not. A simple vinaigrette on greens.








The next three pictures are vegetables and herbs that are growing in my basement under lights. They have been growing for about 6 weeks. Today is the first picking. The micro greens consist of watercress, cilantro, parsley, basil, baby kale, and baby romaine. The flavour was unbelievable. The instructions for growing these and other plants can be found under the urban farming tab. The addition of fresh herbs really adds to the salad.

You may replace the micro greens with any green that you like.

I like to roast the beets, unpeeled, in the oven at 350 degrees for about one hour. Let them cool a bit. The peel will slide right off. Slice them into 1/4 inch slices.

Lightly Toast 1/4 cup cashews in a dry skillet over medium/low heat. Watch them closely, they burn easily. Chop the cashews roughly.

Make the vinaigrette. Combine olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. You may need to add 1/2 tsp of honey if your vinegar is not sweet enough. Combine with a whisk. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Chop parsley and green onion

They look divine. From pot to table in 30 min. These greens are so fresh and flavorful.

All natural, all organic.

Place a handful or two of the greens on the bottom of the plate. Top with sliced beets, chopped cashews, chopped onions, and crumbled feta. Drizzle vinaigrette over the top. Dig in!

Seriously, one of the best salads, ever. 

Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Micro Greens and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 2

4-5 cups micro greens or salad greens of your choice washed and dried well 

2 beets, roasted and sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup cashews, toasted (may replace with pecans, almonds, or walnuts

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled(may replace with goat cheese)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Balsamic Vinaigrette

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp sugar(optional, add if your balsamic vinegar is not sweet enough)