OUR LITTLE DISHES OF JULY: EASY ECO-FRIENDLY RECIPES FOR MOMS

In July, it is hot. We are in vacation mode without really being on vacation.

Mom, what are we eating? The question that every mother has been asked and that we hate.

We don’t really feel like making food. There is no routine anymore. We go out more and more and we are less rigid with schedules. Food has to be less complicated. We put cold things on the table like ham and cheese sandwiches and tomato and mozzarella, and everyone makes their own plate. Basically, we get tired of it quickly, because we want to put something else in our mouths without it taking up too much of our time.

Today I introduce you to a new series of easy and seasonal recipes to make without taking too much time. Each month, I will share different recipes that are in season, in order to vary the tastes and pleasures and to awaken the taste buds of your children. I have selected recipes that should not take more than 30-45 minutes to prepare and/or cook.

Eco-friendly? Yes! Without further ado, discover easy recipes that are made with seasonal fruits or vegetables for the month of July.

Eating green

It’s greener to eat fruits and vegetables in season, and even more so if they are local. Why is this?

• The taste
• The ecological impact

According to Greenpeace, each season meets a need of the human body. So when it’s summer, with the heat, we burn fewer calories, but our body requires more water. Fruits and vegetables of this season are full of water.

By eating fruits and vegetables in season, they will be tastier because they have had more chance to ripen in the sun and not in a truck. This way, you’ll maximize the benefits and enjoy their taste and vitamins.

By buying fruits and vegetables in season, you’ll favor a short circuit that has a much less polluting impact on the planet. This is, even more, the case when they come from the local market.

If you live in Montreal, I strongly recommend that you go to the Jean-Talon Market. Not only will you find seasonal fruits and vegetables, but they all come from our local farms.

Or, take a family outing and go pick-your-own. I tell you more about it in our list of family activities for JULY.

Fruits and Vegetables of July

So, what fruits and vegetables can you put on your plate in July through easy recipes?

Here is a short list to guide you.

The fruits

• Apricot
• Cherry
• Strawberry
• Raspberry
• Melon
• Peach
• Plum
• Watermelon
• Melon

Vegetables

• Spinach
• Peas
• Zucchini
• Tomato
• Green beans

Of course, there are others, but as they say, tastes and colors….But this is a great place to start with. Here are some easy recipes to make with the kids without breaking the bank in July.

Tomato Surprise for 4

A different way to prepare a fruit salad and use tomatoes. Yes, yes, you read that right. I found it while leafing through an old magazine of my son: Astrapi.

Ingredients:

• 4 beautiful tomatoes
• 8 strawberries
• 8 raspberries
• 2 nectarines
• 4 basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper

Steps:

• Cut off the cap of the tomatoes
• Remove the flesh, keep it
• Clean strawberries, nectarines, and raspberries
• Dice the fruits
• Mix tomato flesh, diced fruit, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl
• Chop the basil
• Fill the tomatoes with your mixture
• Add the basil to each tomato, rest the cap on top and serve.

Feta-Tomato-Melon Salad

I recently had the pleasure of meeting the owner of Phyllo Bar Melina’s, a Greek restaurant in Montreal. Coming soon, my interview with Joanna Chery.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joanna Chery aka Melina (@jjchery)

It’s a cute, family-friendly restaurant located in the Mile-End district.

Here’s an idea for an easy appetizer recipe to prepare with the family, without breaking the bank. Joanna, the owner of Phyllo Bar Melina’s, told me about her fresh and summery recipe.

Ingredients:

In terms of quantities, you can be the judge of that.

• Cantaloup
• Watermelon
• Feta cheese (choose softer, milder, and less salty)
• Tomatoes (optional)
• Cucumber
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Chili powder
• Coriander
• White vinegar
• Red onion

You can use other ingredients if you wish. Basically, use whatever you have on hand.

The Steps:

Before cutting your fruit, Joanna recommends marinating the cucumbers. It’s quick and easy.

To do this you will need:

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tbsp of salt
• aromatics as desired: onions, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander
• put it all in a jar

Peel and slice your cucumbers and put them in the jar with your marinade. Shake and place the jar in the fridge while you cut up all the other ingredients and place them in a bowl.

Once everything is cut up, take your pickled cucumbers out of the jar and mix it all together. Optional: make a small chiffonade of mint and/or coriander.

The dressing

Joanna also shared with me her dressing recipe for this little summery salad that will enhance the flavors and make it more refreshing.

Here are the ingredients to make it:

• 2 tbsp. squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch of chili powder or chili oil

This salad goes very well with grilled meats if you feel like it. I tested this recipe myself on my guests and we all loved it. It is really delicious and savory.

Salade Niçoise

The Salade Nicoise is a classic from our summers spent in the south of France, mainly in Nice. Basically, the salade niçoise is an easy and inexpensive dish to make with what you have in the garden or what you find in the market. There are several variations, but here is the one I prefer without anchovies, black olives, or peppers. In fact, you have to put what you like in it while respecting the base a little bit.

The Salade Niçoise is the one you like, period.

Ingredients

The quantity of the ingredients will depend on your mood and your stomach.

The base:

• Tomatoes
• Beans or artichokes
• Cébettes or radishes
• Basil
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

Extras for the non Nicoise :

• Rice
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Tuna
• Corn (yes, I like it)

There is no need for vinegar, as tomatoes are already acidic, according to the correct way of making Niçoise salad, even if nowadays tomatoes are less acidic than before. Celery and mesclun are tolerated, but cucumber or lettuce leaves would be sacrilege according to some sources. But hey, you don’t have to call the dish Salade Niçoise either.

For the steps:

• Cut and peel what needs to be cut.
• Remove the corn (rinse it) and tuna from the cans.
• Cook your rice and then let it cool.
• Cook your eggs. Let it cool. Then chop
• Put everything in a bowl and mix.
• Add olive oil.
• Add salt and pepper.
• It’s ready!

Enjoy! See you next month for new easy and seasonal recipes.