| Plants from your garden will be maturing very | | | | For your green Chinese salad you will need 1 |
| soon leaving you with an abundance of fresh | | | | cup of Chinese salad leaves or any vegetable |
| foods for great culinary uses like Tomato | | | | garden salad makings you have grown, or you |
| with Avocado salad or a Greek Salad with a | | | | have on hand. Chop one green pepper with the |
| hummus recipe for dipping pita bread. When | | | | ribs removed, 3 tablespoons of lovage or |
| your vegetable garden starts to produce for | | | | fresh spearmint, finely diced celery and |
| your table, you should have recipes using | | | | spring onions or ramps sliced diagonally. Mix |
| fresh herbs for an herb dressing, and | | | | together. |
| vegetables on hand to use them in the most | | | | |
| imaginative ways. Here are some recipes to | | | | Your salad dressing will be a mayonnaise |
| give you maximum enjoyment of great salads | | | | based mixture. Put four tablespoons of |
| and salad dressings. Be creative, use these | | | | mayonnaise into a screw top jar with 2 |
| as just examples and add a few personal | | | | tablespoons of orange juice, the grated rind |
| touches, consider your vegetable garden as a | | | | of an orange, 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped |
| living cuisine capable of any number of new | | | | parsley, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 2 cloves |
| twists. | | | | of garlic finely chopped. Shake vigorously |
| | | | and chill for several hours before serving. |
| When your tomatoes start to give up dozens of | | | | Put a pretty garnish on each plate and you |
| their fruit give some away, but better yet | | | | have a perfect summer meal. |
| here are some recipes, an especially super | | | | |
| one for Tomato with Avocado salad, that you | | | | **A Cool Greek Salad With Feta Cheese And |
| can use for your family or a weekend get | | | | Pitas With Hummus** |
| together with neighbours and friends. | | | | |
| | | | What is more refreshing on a hot summer day |
| ** ~Dress Up~ your Tomatoes with an Herb | | | | than a cool Greek Salad? Thinly slice a |
| Dressing**: | | | | cucumber from your garden patch, chop your |
| | | | tomatoes coarsely, and toss together with 1/2 |
| Use three or four of your fresh tomatoes, | | | | to 1 cup of feta cheese (Greek cheese found |
| peel them if you wish and slice them any | | | | in your dairy aisle), and a dozen or so of |
| thickness you want. Then slice some Red Onion | | | | Greek black olives. You will want to dress |
| or Vidalia Onions to place on top. Snip some | | | | this simply with 1 clove of garlic chopped |
| of your fresh herbs like, basil and oregano. | | | | finely, 3 tablespoons of your fresh basil |
| In a screw top jar, add ¼ cup of olive oil | | | | also finely chopped, 1 tablespoon each of |
| or vegetable oil (or use half of each for | | | | lemon juice and olive oil (use only olive oil |
| flavour.) Then drizzle in 2 tablespoons of a | | | | here), and some grinds of black pepper. Mix |
| flavoured vinegar (balsamic, tarragon, | | | | everything well and serve the salad on |
| garlic, sherry, or raspberry - change it up | | | | arranged beds of sprouts. Serve with hot |
| for variety). Add your fresh herbs. Let the | | | | crusty bread or for real treat heat some pita |
| flavours blend for about 1-2 hours before | | | | rounds and serve the salad with warm pita |
| using, and shake well before adding to the | | | | quarters and the following hummus recipe. |
| salad. Next, sprinkle salt and pepper onto | | | | |
| the tomatoes and dress with your Herb salad | | | | Hummus Recipe: |
| dressing. Here again, get creative, use fresh | | | | |
| sliced mozzarella or grated parmesan on the | | | | 1 12-oz can garbanzo beans |
| tomato salad for another variation in using | | | | |
| your plants from your garden. | | | | 1 clove garlic |
| | | | |
| You could use tarragon dressing to make the | | | | 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil |
| tomato salad a little different. Use the same | | | | |
| basic ingredients but from your kitchen | | | | 2-3 tbsp tahini sauce (sesame paste) found in |
| garden substitute one tablespoon tarragon | | | | ethnic sections or gourmet storesjuice of 1 |
| leaves and 2 teaspoons of snipped chives for | | | | small lemon |
| the basil and oregano. Here you should only | | | | |
| use tarragon vinegar. | | | | ½ tsp salt |
| | | | |
| Whichever herbs you choose, garnish the plate | | | | Drain 1/3 of the water from the can of |
| with fresh sprigs of the herb for added | | | | garbanzo beans into a small bowl. Set aside |
| interest and colour. | | | | for later use. In a blender, mix together the |
| | | | garbanzo beans with the remaining can water |
| **A Chinese Tomato With Avocado Salad** | | | | and the rest of the ingredients. Blend for |
| | | | 1-2 minutes until a smooth, slightly fluid |
| For an entirely different taste and | | | | paste is formed. If desired, add small amount |
| presentation try making a Tomato with Avocado | | | | of the saved can water and blend to create a |
| salad with five spice Chinese powder. You | | | | more fluid consistency. |
| won't be growing the Chinese powder but you | | | | |
| can find it in most grocery stores. Spices | | | | **A Lovely Lentil Salad With Vegetables From |
| have the power to create subtle or powerful | | | | Your Gardens** |
| flavours and this recipe using the Chinese | | | | |
| powder will prove it. | | | | And our last summer salad will use fresh |
| | | | lentil sprouts and veggies from your |
| First peel and slice about 4 tomatoes. Do the | | | | vegetable garden. |
| same to two ripe avocados. You can add some | | | | |
| cucumber slices and make a bed for the salad | | | | You will need 1 ½ cups of fresh lentil |
| out of romaine leaves or any leaves you have | | | | sprouts, one large red pepper diced with ribs |
| grown in your vegetable gardens. | | | | removed, ½ cup of broccoli and cauliflower |
| | | | flowerets each, and 1/2 cup of sliced |
| After you have prepared the salad make the | | | | mushrooms of your choice. You will want a |
| salad dressing with ½ of cup of olive or | | | | dressing with kick so, in your screw top jar |
| vegetable oil (or half of both). Use two | | | | mix 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 2 |
| tablespoons or tarragon or white vinegar. Add | | | | tablespoons of cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of |
| 1 teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder, a | | | | freshly grated ginger, 2 tablespoons of |
| tablespoon of finely chopped basil, ½ | | | | orange juice and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. |
| teaspoon of both lemon juice and salt, mash a | | | | Shake the dressing until well combined then |
| clove of garlic, a pinch of dry mustard and | | | | pour over the salad. This is a perfect salad |
| black pepper and add it to your screw top jar | | | | to add seeds or nuts to for additional |
| with all the other ingredients. Mix well and | | | | protein. |
| refrigerate at least two hours before serving | | | | |
| over the salad. Here again use fresh herbs or | | | | So there you have five great summer salads to |
| the tomato peel twirled into a rose shape for | | | | help you use plants from your garden. Don't |
| garnishing the plate. | | | | forget that if you are growing any edible |
| | | | flowers, like nasturtiums, to add them to |
| **A Green Chinese Salad, Greek Salad or | | | | your garnish. Use your imagination and the |
| Lentil Salad With Vegetables** | | | | different plants from your garden for an |
| | | | unending, delicious, living cuisine. |
| Let's switch gears from tomato salads to a | | | | |
| Green Salad, a Greek Salad and a Lentil Salad | | | | Bon Appetit and Happy Gardening! |
| with Vegetables. The first is a scrumptious | | | | |
| crunchy green salad which can be paired with | | | | Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights |
| a protein like chopped eggs or slices of | | | | Reserved. |
| grilled chicken or a starch, perhaps diced | | | | |
| potatoes or chick peas to make a complete | | | | This article may be distributed freely on |
| meal. | | | | your website and in your ezines, as long as |
| | | | this entire article, copyright notice, links |
| **A Crunchy Green Chinese Salad** | | | | and the resource box are unchanged. |
| | | | |