To Inspire: Salads in a Jar

Fresh. Healthy. Convenient.
Yep, salads in a jar.

Easy? Yes. Time-consuming? Yes. Worth it? Yes.

Here are the steps:

• Pre-step: you need a mason-type jar. I bought quart-size ones (roughly 1 litre). They don't need to be fancy.
• Step 1: put your vinaigrette/dressing.
• Step 2: veggies that you won't mind will soak up the vinaigrette. (e.x. carrots, peppers)
• Step 3: beans, grains, pasta
• Step 4: cheese
• Step 5: softer veggies or fruits
• Step 6: nuts, seeds
• Step 7: greens (lettuce, spinach) - make sure your greens are dry!

An important point: the salad should be packed quite tightly so the ingredients don't get sloshed around when you're carrying it.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa salad.
Ingredients: salsa, Greek yogourt, tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels,
avocado, cheese cubes, romaine.
Delicious!

What I like:

• it looks appealing and tasty.
• assembling (not cooking) fresh ingredients.
• keeps in the fridge for 5 days.
• none of that: "Oh no! I've been busy all morning.And now what do I have for lunch? Cheese and crackers? Soup in can?"
• bizarre satisfaction of making an assembly line of salads… I feel like I should be hosting a cooking show ;)

Strawberry Spinach and Quinoa Salad.
Ingredients: vinaigrette, quinoa, strawberries, feta cheese,
pumpkin seeds, spinach.

Serve in a HUGE bowl and mix well:

Thoughts:
-The quinoa soaked up most of the vinaigrette,
so I had a lot of spinach…
-Next time: add more strawberries.
-Vinaigrette made from scratch - too awhile and I don't know
if it was worth it. A nice store-bought raspberry vinaigrette would have
tasted as good.

Greek Salad.
Awesome!
Ingredients: Greek vinaigrette (store-bought), cucumbers, tomatoes,
olives, feta, romaine.
-I was very generous with the tomatoes and cucumbers.

It does take time to make; set aside 30 minutes. But it's worth the effort. It can also become a bit chaotic in your kitchen. Take control of your countertops. 

Imagine: a morning where you can just open your fridge, grab your jar, stuff it in your workbag (make sure you don't tip it!) and off you go! A nutritious meal awaits you at lunch.

I hope this inspires you to go and make salads for your week!

Mondays with Margot: Master Strawberry Picker

Margot had a great Sunday morning, eating many strawberries!
For some reason, she thought that you fill your basket with a few berries, then eat them. Then repeat.

En route to the field!

Searching.,,

Searching...

Noa found the biggest strawberry.

J + J + M

yummy berry!

Full baskets.

Friday Frivolities: Watermelon

Oh! How I love watermelon!
I love it in big chunks.
I love its sweetness.
I love its colour.
I love its stickiness.
(and I love that we can now buy seedless)

Summer Cooking: Trout Amandine

Easy, tasty, healthy.

4 steps:
1. Grill trout in olive oil. 2 minutes each side. Set aside.
2. Melt a tablespoon (or two) of butter in same pan. Wait until it bubbles.
3. Throw in some sliced almonds (a handful or two).
4. Remove them once they brown.

Optional: add more butter to melt.
To serve: Put almonds on trout. Drizzle with extra butter (opt.)
Delicious with green beans, carrots or/and roasted potatoes.

Simon is not a big fish eater, but he will eat this meal. The butter and almonds are the selling points for him.
Thank you Rich for this recipe. It works!

Summer Food: Guacamole

Revelation: I had never eaten guacamole until I met Simon.

Here's my favourite recipe. It's too easy and tasty:

-4 or 5 avocados. Mash them up with a fork.

-add juice of half a fresh lime. 

-add a pinch of cilantro and a pinch of pepper (optional)

-serve with plain tortilla chips.

Best as: before dinner snack or 8pm evening snack.
It's easy. It's fast. And it's delicious. Nothing fancy. All fresh. Enjoy!