Kitchen Korner

 

Ahh..... Summer

by Karin LaRonde

Back | Next | Contents | Home

Ahhh...Summer!

The time when fresh fruit, berries & vegetables are plenty. Time for picnics and barbeques! Salads are great for picnics and barbeques. Think light this summer. How about these salads?

PICNIC PASTA SALAD
Dressing.
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
1/2 cup soy "mayonnaise"
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

4 cups cooked pasta or elbow macaroni
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
Make dressing: In small bowl, mix all ingredients until well blended. In large bowl, combine pasta, bell peppers, celery and dill. Add dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TOMATO-BASIL MACARONI
Dressing
1 ripe medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. olive oil 4

cups cooked elbow macaroni or other small pasta
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced scallions
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
Make dressing: In food processor or blender, combine tomato, basil, garlic and salt and process until almost pureed. Add oil and process until blended. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add dressing and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature.

HERBED POTATO SALAD
4 medium red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed, cooked, cooled, and diced
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
1 cup steamed fresh or thawed frozen green peas
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped black olives
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbs. minced fresh dill
1 scallion, minced
2 Tbs. toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup low-fat or vinaigrette dressing
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Pack into a tightly lidded plastic container to transport.
You can make sandwiches for a picnic using different breads: Pita, wraps, bagels etc. Here is a great spread. Then add your favourite veggies such as grated carrots, red onion, sprouts, sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers...the possibilities are endless.
This would also make a great dip for corn chips, pita or vegetables.

CHICK-PEA SANDWICH SPREAD
Makes: About 2 cups
1-pound can chick-peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbs. minced scallion or chives
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbs. sesame paste (tahini)
1/2 tsp. each: dried dill and ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Mash the chick peas well and combine with the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly and pat into a serving container. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Pack into a tightly lidded plastic container to transport.

It is fun to be creative with the Barbeque....
TERIYAKI MARINADE
Makes: about 1 cup
A highly flavored marinade, this adds exciting flavor to grilled tofu, tempeh, and seitan, and any vegetables that you wish to give an Oriental flavor on the grill--eggplant, broccoli, string beans, scallions, carrots, and mushrooms.
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup sake or white wine
2 Tbs. light olive oil
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
2 Tbs. rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 to 2 cloves crushed or minced garlic
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
Combine all the ingredients in a small container. Let stand until the sugar is dissolved. When brushing on foods, swirl the mixture often with the brush to keep combined.

Try this delicious Eggplant recipe
GRILLED TERIYAKI EGGPLANT
2 large eggplant
2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
Slice the eggplants 1/2-inch thick and peel. Salt them and let stand in a colander for 30 minutes, then rinse well. Prepare grill. Brush the eggplant slices generously on both sides with Teriyaki Marinade. Grill on each side until nicely browned and tender (5 to 10 minutes on each side, depending on the heat of the coals). Remove and let cool slightly on a cutting surface. Cut into strips and place in a serving container. Stir in the scallions. Add enough additional Teriyaki Sauce to moisten and flavor the eggplant to taste. Sprinkle the top with the red pepper dice and sesame seeds.

You can put anything on a skewer. If using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for a few hours to prevent burning.

Try this one
TOFU AND POTATO KEBABS
Serves: 8 4 medium red-skinned potatoes
2 pounds firm tofu
Sweet and Savory Grilling Sauce
2 medium sweet red bell peppers, cut into l-inch squares
Cook or microwave 4 medium red-skinned potatoes until done but still quite firm. Allow to cool, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Cut tofu into 3/4- to l-inch-thick slices and press between paper towels or a clean tea-towel to remove some of the moisture. After pressing, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch dice. Marinate in Sweet and Savory Grilling Sauce or Teriyaki Marinade for 30 minutes. Alternate tofu and potato chunks with red pepper pieces on skewers. Prepare grill. Brush the skewered ingredients with additional sauce or marinade used. Grill, turning carefully, until touched with charred spots, about 10 minutes total.

FRUIT
There are so many choices of fresh fruit & berries this time of year. You can make a wonderful fruit salad, using chunks of sweet fruits (pineapple, pears, apples, oranges, banana, kiwi, etc.) with a dressing to toss the fruit in, made from: 1/4 c. orange juice, 1 T. honey, 1 t. vanilla for each 4 c. of salad.
BEVERAGES
Herbal Iced teas are so refreshing. Be creative! Have a Safe and Happy Summer!

Back | Next | Contents | Home