Hello July. I can’t believe I am saying that. What happened to May? June? Summer has barely begun and already it is going too fast.

I love summer. Passionately.

The SUNSHINE, the shorts, the biking, the jam-making, the hiking, the swimming, the campfires, the BBQ-ing, the cherries, the pies, the fireworks, the friends/family who come to visit, the freckles, the sunscreen, the outdoor movies, the blooming flowers, the cold beer, the cold lakes, the road trips, the lying in the grass…

…And I live in a city where it rains 9 months of the year.

SO I resolve the following:

For the entire summer, I will take time out of every single day to be on summer vacation.

Whether that means bumming all at the beach with my dog, or reading my book for 15 minutes in the park across the street; biking the 2.5 hours from my place around Stanley Park, or just lugging my little BBQ down to the grass to make dinner.

No living for the weekends, summer happens on Tuesday and Wednesday, too.

How does that sound?

Okay, now on to the business at hand: coleslaw. Continue Reading »

Broccoli Salad is an incarnation of broccoli even the most stubborn of broccoli haters can’t hate. The reason for this is 70% due to the presence of bacon, 15% due to the sweet, creamy, tangy dressing that one could lap off a plate (I said “one”, that was not a confession… nor was it not a confession… hmm), and 15% due to the fact that your mom probably made it, and you’re probably at a barbecue.

Yes, every summer barbecue, especially those of the potluck persuasion, have (or SHOULD have!) a broccoli salad. The classic is broccoli + raisins + red onion + sunflower seeds. Mine has cashews. Only because my sunflower seeds were rancid. Which, in an unusual twist, I discovered prior to putting them in the salad. What a concept!

Anyway, the cashews were a delicious swap – you can use either. Or even sliced almonds. But the salty, toasted sunflower seeds are the tops.

Do you want to know a secret? You can toast nuts in the microwave. Continue Reading »

A flavourful, hearty salad is perfect for a picnic or a bbq. Or it can easily be a meal-in-a-bowl on a smokin’ hot night when turning on the oven would be plain foolish. In my south facing, highly-windowed apartment with a stinkin’ greenhouse lovely sunroom and no air conditioning, this has been my reality for the past several weeks. There have been a lot of salads.

What I really love most about them is their endless versatility. Start with a grain – maybe even pick one you have never tried! Quinoa, couscous, bulgur wheat, kasha (aka buckwheat), amaranth, kamut berries, or different shapes of pasta are all great options. Add some fresh herbs, fresh or dried fruit, diced cucumber, celery, tomatoes and/or peppers, some toasted nuts, and a bright vinaigrette, and you are almost guaranteed a delicious result. It is a great place to be creative and to make the most of what is in season. I used apricots in this salad, which are at their peak in British Columbia right now. If you can’t find fresh apricots, you could substitute dried (just soak them in some boiling water to plump them up) or you could use firm nectarines or peaches instead.

Continue Reading »

Summer has officially begun on the West Coast of Canada! Hoorah!

To celebrate, I spent the day at the beach with my adorable furry bottomed friend. I put in some time working on my freckles, examining seashells, doing some neurons-not-required reading, and savouring the first of the local cherries. And despite all of that exhausting labour, I found time to cook! It was the perfect day.

This couscous salad is perfect summer food; delicious, light, cool, and full of bright flavours like herbs, lemon, and fresh garlic. It is perfect picnic food. Perfect potluck food. Perfect side dish to grilled chicken or steak. It is a warm weather staple in my kitchen. Continue Reading »