Tomato, basil, and cucumber are abundant on the farm and they work so well together for a simple salad. A friend made this exact recipe for me when visiting a few weeks ago, and I was blown away by how tasty it was. When I asked for the ingredients, I was expecting there to be something exotic...what is making this salad taste so good? 

Turns out it was just the balance of super fresh produce and aromatic basil! Turn this quick salad into a complete meal by adding some protein to bulk it up- sliced grilled chicken, chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese, cooked chickpeas or baked tofu are all great additions. 

Ingredients

1 bunch of basil
2 cucumbers
2 lbs of tomatoes
1/2 of an onion- white, yellow, or red
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar- red wine or apple cider
salt, pepper, oregano
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Method of Preparation

1. Wash and chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Peel the cucumber if you prefer before cutting into half moons or quarters. Cut larger tomatoes into big chunks or, if using cherry tomato jus slice in half or quarters. Slice the onion into very thin slices.

2. Add all of the vegetables to a serving dish and tear the basil leaves to add to the mix. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and stir gently to combine. 

3. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and dried or fresh oregano- You  can eat  the salad right away, but this tastes even more delicious if you let it sit for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. 
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This "recipe" is yet another choose your own adventure, and it doesn't require turning on a single kitchen appliance. These vegetable summer rolls are super fresh, and can change with the seasons in regards to what veggies are included. 

When building summer rolls I always like to include a few categories of components: crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs/aromatics, and protein. These ones are loaded with cucumbers, tofu, mint, basil, and more... all complimented by a peanut dipping sauce. 

Don't be afraid to branch out and make this your own. Try adding cooked and cooled shrimp instead of tofu, or rice noodles instead of greens. 

Ingredients:

1 package of rice spring roll wrappers
1/2 bag of mixed greens or lettuce
4 cucumbers, sliced thinly
3 cups sliced crunchy vegetables - peppers, carrots, radish, salad turnips etc
1 block of firm tofu
2 cups of fresh herbs- basil, cilantro, mint, and/or green onion

Quick & Easy Peanut Sauce: 
3 parts peanutbutter (crunchy or smooth)
2 parts soy sauce or tamari
1 part sesame oil
1 part rice wine vinegar
maple syrup & sriRAWcha to taste
optional: minced ginger & garlic

Method of Preparation: 

1. Prepare all of the fillings before you begin- drain and slice tofu into matchsticks or small planks, slice or julienne the vegetables, and pick the herbs from their stems. If using green onions, slice into 3 inch pieces. 

2. To assemble: Fill a large, shallow bowl with warm water. Soak one rice paper wrapper in the water until it begins to soften. Lay the wrapper on a plate and fill with a handful of greens, some tofu, a few pieces of vegetables and a few pieces of fresh herbs.

3. Fold the sides inward and wrap snugly like you would with a burrito. Wrap tightly but also gently to avoid ripping the softened rice paper. Repeat with the remaining rice paper, soaking and wrapping just one at a time. These can be wrapped a few days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. 

4. Serve with your favorite peanut sauce, or make your own by combining the ingredients listed above together, thinning with warm water until you reach your desired consistency. 

The real star here is the berry mixture- I encourage you to use whatever "shortcake" base that you like. A spongy vanilla cake or a buttery biscuit could work really well... or just make the strawberries and eat them with fresh whipped cream. 

The secret ingredients in these strawberries are basil and red wine. There is just a small amount of wine used to macerate the berries with the herbs. This recipe is uncooked, so if you are worried about the alcohol content, feel free to cook this down for a few minutes by simmering on a stovetop.

Ingredients

2 cups of whole strawberries
1/4 cup of red wine
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade (aka sliced into thin strips) 
2-4 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
1 cup of whipped cream of your choice
1 lemon, zested
optional: whole black or pink peppercorns

Method of Preparation

1. Wash the strawberries and trim off the green tops.

2. Slice or quarter the berries and add to a bowl with wine, sugar, basil and a few whole peppercorns if you like (this is highly recommended, don't be scared). Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar you add based on the sweetness of the berries and wine. 

3. Let the berries macerate with the other ingredients for at least 30 minutes. It will create it's own syrup the longer you let it sit. You can leave it to sit overnight in the refrigerator too, but I like using it when it's super fresh and still room temperature

4. Remove peppercorns before serving and mix the lemon zest into your whipped cream to really brighten up the whole dish.

5. Serve the berries on top of your preferred shortcake vessel, or just eat the berries and cream on their own!

Microgreens pack a huge punch of nutrients when added to any dish, but I especially like using them in a fresh pesto. Instead of using microgreens as a garnish or topping, this recipe calls for a few big handfuls of any variety. Use a mix of them, or add additional greens like pea tendrils or spinach. I purposefully left cheese out of this recipe so that it can be frozen and used at a later time. If you're making this to eat right away, feel free to add some grated parmesan or even nutritional yeast if you're dairy-free. 

What are microgreens? You guessed it….tiny greens, they're just one or two week old sprouts! They’re tiny, tender, and contain concentrated amounts of the antioxidants that would be found in the adult plants. And lots of plants can be harvested as microgreens like radish, basil, kale, arugula, and sunflower. ​

The quickest, easiest, most delicious dip recipe is here. I’ve been making this recipe for years and have it memorized because it is so simple. It’s great with crudite, crackers, or you can use it as a spread on sandwiches. 

If you are dairy free, you can easily substitute the ricotta cheese for a block of firm tofu, just make sure you blend it up really well. I don’t think you’ll have any leftovers, but in the off chance you do- this makes a great quick pasta sauce too! ​