Happy Days, you know the ones, where the sun comes out unexpectantly lavishing you with the warm knowing that summer is just around the corner. After a week of rain it explodes forth surprising you that it won’t actually rain forever. No more excuses to eat just roast potatoes, gravy and beef for dinner every night, oh no, the days of endless soups are now behind us. Springs greenery is just the beginning of what’s to come. Summer is culinary excitement at it’s maximum, at least in the Kootenays where the 4 seasons are very distinguished.
I joyously welcome back the chance to dig in the warm soil, sow seeds of plenty and forage the wild forests for scrumptious mushrooms and herbs.
This refreshing salad used up the last of our winter storage of carrots and beets with an abundant heap of greenhouse grown mizuna, and other spicy greens. Throw in some toasted walnuts and pumpkin seeds for crunch and a few non local delights and bam, you’ve got spring in a mouthful.
Enjoy!
Spicy Tahini Omega Dressing on Local Vegetable Ensemble
- Dressing
- makes 16 oz
- ¼ Cup tahini
- ½ Cup Hemp seed oil or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic chopped finely
- 1 Tbs miso
- ¼ Cup apple cider vinegar
- 1½ Tbs dijon mustard
- 1 Tbs unpasteurized honey
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp cayenne
- ¼ water
- good pinch of salt
- dousing of fresh cracked pepper
- Optional : a few splashed habanero hot sauce
- Salad
- Really whatever one has on hand is perfection. Go with the flow.
- A few great bursting handfuls of fresh greens of your choice
- Thinly sliced red onion to your taste
- 1 Avocado smoothly sliced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 beet, grated
- handful of freshly toasted pumpkin seed
- handful of freshly toasted walnuts , or raw
- For the dressing put all ingredients into a blend and whizz until smooth. Or into a bowl to whisk until perfection. Stores well in a jar for about a month.
- To toast the seeds simply heat up a cast iron skillet or frying pan, with a wee bit of coconut oil. Pumpkin seeds go in first, keep an eye as they burn quickly. You want them just golden, about 4 minutes. Turn pan off and add walnuts just long enough for them to attain a slight crunch and golden colour. Don't let them burn or you may cry.
Throw it all together and sit in the sun.
Happy bountiful blissful Spring everyone!
