cali in a bowl

perfect for summer

This salad is inspired by Californian fruits and the very popular creamy poppy seed dressing.  I couldn't find poppy seeds in my grocery run today so I substituted with black sesame seeds.  It added the same texture as poppy seeds would and you wouldn't even know the difference because the flavour is so mild.  We will definitely be making this salad all summer long - it'll be even better when the local strawberries are available.

what you need:

for vinaigrette

• 1 lemon (juice and zest finely grated)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• freshly ground black pepper, pinch of salt
• 1/2 shallot
• 1 heaping tbsp poppy seeds or black sesame seeds

• 1 avocado
• baby spinach 
• 1 mandarin orange
• 8-10 strawberries

what to do:

1. Blend all vinaigrette ingredients (except for seeds) together until smooth.  Add seeds.  Store in a mason jar in the fridge.
2. Prepare strawberries by washing, removing tops and slicing into bite size pieces.  
3. Prepare mandarin orange by peeling and removing extra bits of white pith.  Break into individual wedges and cut them in half.  This might seem like an extra step but it's worth it to remove any unwanted seeds and also allow the orange juices to flow into the salad.
4. Toss strawberries and oranges slices together in a salad bowl.  When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of baby spinach and vinaigrette (unused portion of the vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days).  Top salad with slices of avocado.  Enjoy!

tonight we had our cali salad with tilapia & ginger pickled radish

grilled summer salad

This hearty salad is great on it's own for a satisfying lunch, or serve it alongside BBQ fare.  This salad travels well as long as you keep the dressing, greens and cooked veggies separately -  it is easily assembled on location.  I brought it to my friend Karolina's birthday party over the weekend (4 hour drive!) and it was enjoyed with burgers and sausages...yum to summer veggies!  For the party I used spring mix and green beans - in the photo above I used asparagus and spinach...you really can use whatever you have on hand.  Instead of grilling you can also place veggies on a lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven until tender.

what you need:

• 4 beets
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 bunch of asparagus (or equivalent amount of green beans)
• 1 large bag of baby spinach (or spring mix)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• olive oil

dressing:

• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (frozen ginger grates easier)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 lemon's zest and juice
• 1 tbsp honey

what to do:

1. In a pot of water, bring beets (washed but unpeeled) to a boil and allow to cook for at least 30-45 minutes (depending on how large your beets are), or until you can stick a fork into the beets.  Allow beets to cool, then peel them and cut into bite size cubes (red beet juice stains so don't wear your nice clothes!).  Set aside.
2. Preheat oven (400 F) or your BBQ grill.  Cut up sweet potato (no need to peel) into bite size cubes.  Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper in a bowl.  Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or use a iron veggie basket to grill them.
3. Trim asparagus and also toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Cut into 1" pieces.  They will take a little less time in the oven or grill so add them to the heat once sweet potatoes have had 10-15 minutes in the heat.
4. Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in a jar or tupperware and shake well.  
5. Once sweet potatoes are tender and have some golden brown colour, remove and toss gently in a bowl with the maple syrup.  Return to oven for another 8 minutes.
6. Once veggies are done (tender with slight grill marks or colour from roasting) - allow to cool to room temperature.  You can store the beats, sweet potato and asparagus in a container in a fridge until ready to serve.  
7. In a large salad bowl, toss together spinach, grilled veggies, and beets with the dressing.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.  Enjoy!

bok choy salad

my version

the original - Laureen's

A few weeks ago I had this amazing salad alongside a fish fry!  It is super refreshing, light and very addictive.  I made it for Steph's bridal shower and everyone loved it (even those who had never tried bok choy).  The recipe makes quite a big salad - left overs are good until the next day.  Here's my version of the salad:

what you need:

• 1 package baby or regular bok choy
• 1 package bean sprouts
• 2 green onions
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 package ramen noodles
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• black pepper, to taste

what to do:

1. Cut off bottoms of bok choy and separate each leaf individually.  Wash thoroughly allow to dry (pat with tea towel or leave in sieve for awhile).  Rinse bean sprouts and allow them to dry as well, or spread on tea towel and dry gently).
2. Stack boy choy leaves, about 5 at a time, chop into thin 1/2" slices width wise, and place into a large salad bowl  Finely chop green onions and add to bowl.  Roughly chop cilantro and add.  Then add the bean sprouts.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients (except for the ramen noodles) in a jar or tupperware and shake well, until sugar is dissolved.  This dressing can be kept in the fridge for several days.
4. Right before serving the salad, toss all vegetables with dressing.  Remove the small flavour package from inside the ramen noodles and crush the dried noodles into little bits.  Top the salad with the noodles for extra crunch and texture.  Enjoy!

asian smashed cucumber salad

simple and fresh

This is a classic Taiwanese side dish.  My mom makes it all the time in the summer, it goes really well with BBQ and anytime you want a quick salad with minimal effort.  The cucumbers are smashed so that they can really soak up the dressing flavours - sweet, savoury, sour and a little kick of heat - delicious!

what you need:

*serves about 4

• 8 mini cucumbers
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly minced
• 1 small red chilli pepper, chopped finely
• 1 tsp mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine, optional)
• 1 tsp ponzu (citrus Japanese vinegar, optional)

what to do:

1. Mix all ingredients (except cucumbers) in a large salad bowl.  Taste and adjust if required (e.g. add more soy for saltiness, more canola oil if too acidic)
2. Cut tips off both ends of each cucumber.  You will need a knife with a wide side/face.  Place a cucumber in the centre of a big cutting board and smash it lengthwise with the side of the knife.  The cucumber will burst/crack - cut it into about 3 sections on a diagonal and then break it up a little bit with your fingers for a rustic look.  
3. Toss all the smashed cucumbers in the salad bowl with the dressing and refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes prior to serving to allow flavours to marry.  Serve alongside any BBQ protein or on it's own as a snack. Enjoy!

broccoli salad

a hearty salad

I never thought much of raw broccoli until one summer my friend Sammi brought a broccoli salad to a girls' dinner night at my place.  It was such a delicious surprise! Here's my version of it - hope you like it!

what you need:

• 1 bunch broccoli
• 1 small bunch of red seedless grapes
• 1/2 a small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped roughly
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese 
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 lemon's zest and juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey

what to do:

1. Wash the broccoli and trim off the tough ends.  Cut florets into bite size pieces.  Trim off the tough fibrous outside of the stalks, then slice thinly (the inside of the stalk is actually quite tender and yummy).  Place broccoli into a large salad bowl.
2. Cut the grapes in half and add to the bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix lemon zest, juice, mayo, vinegar, honey, and onion.  Pour it on top of broccoli and toss the salad.  Let it sit in a cool place for about 30 minutes.
4. Add the crumbled cheese and almonds.  Serve and enjoy!