I awoke with the inspiration to make a salad entirely from ingredients from our local Carleton Place Farmers’ Market. I have my favourite vendors there, some of whom I have been visiting every Saturday for 9 years (Merle!). I especially wanted to pair their fresh produce with my new passion – Shawna’s Gotta B Garlic Baba Ganoush. I discovered Shawna’s dips last summer and was so thrilled when she returned this summer. This dip is a garlic lover’s delight! The texture captures the best thing I love about cooked-to-perfection eggplant and the smoky flavour is like nothing I have ever had before. Shawna literally BBQ’s a whole eggplant, then peels all the charred skin off and it is left with the most divine flavour when she pairs it with her garlic and seasonings. Unlike commercial Baba Ganoush, it is free of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms), specifically Canola Oil, of which, as you get to know me, I am not a fan. It’s also dairy and grain-free – a real find!
When I arrived, Shawna had her last one put away for me (and it was only 9:30 AM!) She rocks!
- Costal Star organic lettuce (a variety of romaine) (Indian Creek Orchard & Market Garden)
- Arugula (Indian Creek Orchard & Market Garden)
- Green Dragon cucumber (Indian Creek Orchard & Market Garden)
- Radish and radish greens (Limekiln Farm)
- Green onion stems (Limekiln Farm)
- Whole snap peas ((Limekiln Farm)
- Patti Paw yellow squash (Terramor Farm)
- Black Beauty zucchini (Indian Creek Orchard & Market Garden)
- Baba Ganoush (Shawna’s Gotta ‘B Garlic)
- 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Sea Salt to taste
- Juice and pulp of ¼ fresh lemon
- Rinse all the fresh produce. With organic or non-certified organic, you may find more “wee friends” than you might be used to from the grocery store (think of that as a good sign of healthy soil).
- Slice the Patti Paw yellow squash and Black Beauty zucchini and steam these to desired texture. I like mine a cross between opaque and a little crunchy.
- Snap the end of the snap pea and pull the string down and off the shell.
- Slice and dice these and all remaining salad ingredients and place in a pasta bowl, covering with the warm zucchini on the periphery.
- Place a large dollop of Baba Ganoush in the centre.
- Drizzle olive oil and lemon over the salad, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy this fresh nutritious, alkaline meal free from all distractions!
This is Scott Sigurdson of Indian Creek Orchard & Market Garden. Missing is his partner Marisa Buccione.
My long-time farmer, Merle Bowes- of Limekiln Gardens, which I finally visited last fall.
Luke Sheldrick of Terramor Farm. Like Scott of Indian Creek (above), he and his partner, Dana Moores walked away from city life and have adopted a new way of country living and we are all benefiting!
Here are the ingredients in a snapshot – don’t you just love the variety of colours?
My mouth is watering just looking at this picture!
But before I begin, in order to fully experience this homemade, nutritiously-rich salad, I like to make that “oneness” connection. I say a little grace something like this – “please bless this food for the nourishment of my body, mind and soul and please bless all those that contributed to it” That can mean the farmers above, the seed suppliers, the microorganisms in the soil, the sun, the rain, etc. and of course, the chefs! Enough said – its lunch time!
Nutritionally yours,
Laura
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