Okay this is one of those dressings that can go on anything – it’s so tasty that you’ll love whatever is coated with it. Tangy, but slightly sweet, this addictive dressing keeps you going in bite after bite. I have a friend who buys it at Farm Boy all the time – all she did at a playdate was toss it with mixed greens and a few chopped peppers, and it was such a delicious salad! You can definitely find different kinds of apple cider vinaigrette at the store but if you are like me and have a giant jug of apple cider vinegar from Costco, making it yourself is way more economical! And also – the ingredients are super simple and non-perishable! It will keep in a mason jar in your fridge for weeks.
Summer time is here! What a great season to enjoy all the fresh veggies and leafy greens (currently our favourite at home is a mix of baby arugula and baby kale). Be sure to make extra dressing so that you always have a dressing on hand, whenever you need it.
what you need:
6 tbsp apple cider vinegar
8 tbsp grape seed oil (or similar oil – something very mild in flavour)
4 tbsp raw local honey (try to find local honey, as it has the best benefits for your health)
a few twists of freshly ground black pepper
two pinches of salt
what to do:
Put all your ingredients in a mason jar and shake really well. Use immediately or store in fridge for later use. Enjoy!
Left over grilled steak finds a new home in this simple salad of greens, avocado and tomatoes. The dressing pulls it all together!One of piepie’s favourites is this vinaigrette on bean salad – it holds up well for school lunch!
Rice bowls and Buddha bowls are widely popular right now, and it’s no wonder why – they are usually loaded with delicious ingredients and really hit the spot when you’re hungry.
load up on fresh ingredients!
Be sure to make extra if you want leftovers for lunches the next day!
Start with a cuisine you’re craving and create your toppings around that. For example, this bowl was Indian inspired so we used lentils (think daal) and spices such as cumin and turmeric. If you were going with an Asian flare, you could use soy, garlic, ginger, and green onions. Mediterranean could look like olives, oregano, dill, honey, lemon, and feta. You get the drift!
Indian Inspired Rice Bowl; garlicky lemon green beans, quick lentil daal, saucey black beans, shredded raw carrots, cilantro & lemon wedges
*If you like heat, you can add a pinch of cayenne or fresh red chilies. I did not include it because of my little ones.
makes about 4 servings
garlicky lemon green beans
~500g green beans
1 large garlic clove
juice from 1/2 lemon
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp cooking oil (I use grape seed oil)
Wash and clean green beans. Roughly slice them on a diagonal angle.
Finely chop garlic.
In a pan over medium heat, add oil and garlic. Once it is fragrant, add chopped beans and sauté, about 2-3 minutes, just until tender but still has a bite (not soggy).
Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and toss with lemon juice.
quick lentil daal
1 1/2 cup dry red lentils
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander
water
a pinch of salt
Rinse lentils.
Put lentils in a pot and fill with just enough water that it covers the lentils by 1″. Put the lid on.
Bring lentils to a boil then reduce heat to low, cooking until semi-tender (about 3-5 min).
Add spices and salt, stir well then put the lid back on and simmer another 3 minutes. If it seems too watery, you can simmer with the lid off for a little longer – just keep an eye on it so the bottom doesn’t burn.
saucey black beans
~1 1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 large tomato
1 small onion (either red or yellow is fine)
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp cooking oil (I use grape-seed oil)
Dice the onion. Roughly chop the tomato (keeping the juicy seeds).
In a large non-stick pan, heat oil on medium – high.
Add ginger, onion, and cumin. Sauté until fragrant.
Add black beans and tomato and cook until everything comes together, about 3-5 minutes.
Rice
Cook up your favourite rice (we used a mix of short and long grain white rice, and red rice). Follow instructions on the rice package, but in general it’s 1:1 for rice to water ratio. In a covered pot, bring it to boil then turn down to simmer until water is all absorbed.
shredded carrots: wash and peel 2 carrots, then use a grater to shred them.
cilantro & lemon wedges: for final garnish
How to serve:
Place every item in a different bowl or serving dish. Place rice at the bottom of your bowl and top it with desired toppings, mix it all up and enjoy! Or, if you like things separate (like my kids sometimes do) – enjoy each one separately. ENJOY!
I love a good tangy caesar salad dressing – and yesterday I discovered so does my 6-year old! Piepie even took some leftovers in her school lunch today, and we threw in some chickpeas and cucumbers to make it a little heartier. Definitely a win!
Kale is a great substitute to romaine lettuce because it holds up to the dressing, you can enjoy it a few hours later or even the next day. It also has a lot more nutrients, such as Vitamin K (in general, the darker green the leaf, the better).
caesar kale:
tangy caesar dressing
juice of 2 lemons, zest of 1 lemon
equal amount of light tasting oil (e.g. grape seed oil) to your lemon juice
you can always add more oil if you feel it’s too tangy / sour
1 small clove of garlic, grated
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup finely grated fresh parmesan
1 tbsp dijon mustard
a pinch of salt and pepper
shaved parmesan for garnish
Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigourously. Taste and adjust if needed! I recommend taking a kale leaf to dip and taste – sometimes the dressing on the spoon on it’s own is intense but it’s different with the vegetables.
Remove kale leaves from stem and wash thoroughly. Tear into small bite size pieces.
Toss in a large bowl with dressing, allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Overnight works too!
When you are ready to serve, top with crusty croutons and shaved parmesan. ENJOY!
I pretty much bake up a banana bread biweekly but this week I thought I’d try something new. Also I had a huge bag of carrots from Costco to use up (however … these carrots were enormous so I only needed one large carrot to get 2 cups grated!). It’s a little healthier than the classic carrot cake but let’s be honest, the cream cheese frosting on carrot cake is the best part so I went traditional there with full fat cream cheese and butter. Everything in moderation, right?
reminiscent of carrot cake, but simpler for a week day treat
what to do:
Preheat oven to 350 F (my oven is convection – if you have a traditional oven your baking time will need to increase).
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld beater), beat eggs, oil and sugar together.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg.
Add carrots to wet mixture, mixing well.
Add dry ingredients and do not over mix.
Fold in greek yogurt.
Pour batter into a buttered loaf pan, bake in the centre rack for about 25 minutes. (Or until top is golden brown and not jiggly anymore).
Leave for at least 20 minutes to cool in the pan before trying to remove your loaf – otherwise it may break on transfer!
Transfer loaf to cooling rack and allow it to fully cool to room temperature before frosting. Plenty of time to make the frosting now:)!
this little guy was a bit scared of the mixer!
Frosting:
With whisk attachment (or again, using hand held beaters) – cream together butter and cream cheese, until very smooth.
Add vanilla and milk, beat until smooth again.
Add icing sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until smooth.
Spread on carrot loaf once the loaf is fully cooled to room temperature. This is important because if the loaf is warm at all it will just melt your frosting right off and you’ll end up with a sloppy mess!
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