by on July 19, 2019   •   3 Comments Salads

Strawberry, Cucumber and Radish Salad with Pea Shoots

I‘m smack dab in the middle of my five-in-five entertaining stretch of summer but I had to pause the kitchen play and open up the laptop to bring you this vibrant, seasonal salad.

It features everything that is flawless in Nova Scotia markets right now: fresh sugar snap peas, cherry red radishes, new cucumbers and ruby strawberries. I’ve even worked in wild rose petals, because they currently line the neighbourhood lanes, parks and walkways and I can’t resist bringing them to the table.

Alongside this salad recipe, you’ll also find a little more picnic inspiration because the Summer of the Picnic continues. This time I teamed up with my friend Kelly for a whimsical picnic on our lakeside dock. Read on to join in on the fun.

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by on May 1, 2019   •   Leave a Comment Salads

Springtime Lobster Niçoise Salad with Tarragon

Hello May!

The crocuses in our yard opened up this week and the tulip have pushed up next to them. It’s wonderfully exciting to watch spring creep over our new little homestead and it seems as though there are discoveries to be made after every warm rainstorm.

I’m channeling spring in the Simple Bites kitchen as well, and this Lobster Niçoise Salad is a perfect example. We enjoyed it over the Easter long weekend paired with a platter of lamb and lentils for a surf ‘n turf feast with friends.

I’f you don’t have a basic Salade Niçoise in your culinary repertoire, then please adopt my recipe and make it yours. It’s such a versatile salad and so well suited to spring greens.

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by on March 7, 2019   •   7 Comments Salads

Modern Lunch: Citrus, Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Liven up your desk lunch with this vibrant, make-ahead salad.

Ladies who lunch has become a bit of a theme for me this winter, as I’ve been connecting with fellow food creatives here in Halifax.

Thanks to this warm and welcoming community I have been able to discover the best eats around the city, talented market vendors and unique local businesses to support. A few of us have even launched a cookbook club, which promises to be inspiring and absolutely delicious.

On a recent lunch date with the exceptionally talented Kelly Neil, we whipped up a salad from the brand new cookbook Modern Lunch with incredibly tasty results. Read on for more about this book, plus the recipe for a Citrus, Shrimp and Quinoa Salad with Feta.

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by on January 22, 2019   •   4 Comments Salads

Two Winter Power Bowls (Recipe: Quick Peanut Sauce)

During the winter months I find myself craving foods with maximum crunch and big flavours; that’s when these power bowls come into play.

The cold weather entices me to hibernate, so I try to avoid foods that will leave me sluggish and instead build salads heaping with ingredients that energize me.

Last week I was hugely inspired by a trip to a nearby farmer’s market where I found the most exquisite locally grown winter produce. I loaded up a crate with baby Savoy cabbage, watermelon and purple daikon radishes, mini red Napa cabbage and crunchy kohlrabi – and then took everything back to my kitchen.

A quick peek in my pantry turned up rice vermicelli and sesame seeds. I knew I had pickled carrots in the fridge, so I whipped up a tofu stir-fry and a quick peanut sauce and was soon stacking the building blocks for a Thai-inspired power bowl.

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by on November 2, 2018   •   8 Comments Salads

Kale, Pear and Roasted Delicata Squash Salad

Well hello November!

I’ve never been one to herald the arrival of this dismal time of year, but this month we’ll transition into our Halifax home and I am filled with anticipation for that new chapter. I’ll be sharing more on our move soon (here’s a sneak peek at our lakeside cottage), but for now we need to talk about this salad I’ve been making on repeat.

Since the cooler weather has arrived, I’ve certainly been cooking more sheet pan dinners and slow cooker suppers, but I’m also embracing fall greens with gusto. It might be my favourite season for building a hearty salad, and as you will see, I like to pile just about everything on the plate.

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