< Previous10 Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve made it! After what feels like the longest winter, summer is here again! And, of course, with the warmer weather comes outdoor activities, live music, barbeques, and family reunions. Many of these activities often involve food - and lots of it! Therefore, having a selection of simple dishes in your back pocket is essential for these outdoor engagements. In my opinion, a simple salad checks all of the boxes. Salads are easy to throw together, versatile for any occasion, and complement a wide array of other dishes that may be served. I tend to favor a pasta salad, as the options are limitless, and let’s be honest – who doesn’t love carbs? Take my Israeli Couscous Salad with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, for example. You’ve got the chewy pasta that absorbs all of the flavors of the homemade lemon balsamic dressing, the crunchy cucumber and red onion, and what puts it over the top are the sweet, slow-roasted Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes. Each ingredient brings a flavor profile to the salad, and the lemon balsamic dressing ties it together. I chose to slow roast the Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes to bring out the deep, sweet, smoky flavors. Like sun-dried tomatoes at the grocery store, these slow-roasted toma- toes are soft, chewy, and deliciously flavorful. When I slow-roasted them, I was cognizant of the process I used as I didn’t want them to burst or become too wet and make the salad mushy. So, to avoid this, I cut each tomato in half and placed it side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. CREATE PERFECT PASTA SALAD THE CAELI-ROSE WHITE @happierinthekitchenI didn’t use oil to keep them as dry as possible (which is why the non-stick parchment paper is so important!). I used a small amount of salt and pepper to help bring out the natural fruity flavors but kept it minimal to let the tomatoes shine through. As for cooking, it’s all about keeping an eye on the tomatoes rather than temperature and time. I kept the oven at a balmy 375 degrees and checked on them frequently until the bottoms were browned and the centers looked dried out, which was about one hour. The result was perfectly dried, sweet, smoky tomatoes that added flavor to each bite. If you want to build your pasta salad, I encourage you to get creative! First, choose a base pasta, as that is what’s going to carry the flavor. After that is established, select a protein that will help to complete the salad to be served as a full meal. This can be meat, beans, or even tofu. From here, you want to focus on textures by adding the crunch of cucumber or soft mozzarella cheese. A good tip when choosing ingredients is to focus on what the salad already has versus what the salad needs. To explain, if you already have well-seasoned, spicy steak bites, stray away from the sharp edge of red onion or choose something milder, like tiny balls of mozzarella. That said, if you only have plain pasta and chickpeas, this may be an opportunity to add something with more “zip,” like capers, goat cheese, or green olives! Next, add texture ingredients until you have enough to make each bite exciting and unique. Second to last, pick a complimentary ingredient that brings everything together. I’d choose something mild, like a diced avocado. And finally, a dressing that ties it all together! I used balsamic vinegar, garlic, and lemon juice for this couscous salad. The result was perfectly dried, sweet, smoky tomatoes that added flavor to each bite. ISRAELI COUSCOUS SALAD SEE RECIPE 65 mineasy10 A general rule of thumb about salads is to make them a day in advance, if time permits, to allow the flavors to mingle. If the ingredients don’t get too soggy, you shouldn’t have an issue putting the dressing on the day before serving. I would, however, save the delicate ingredients right before serving, like avocado. In addition, when it comes to pasta salad, be sure not to over or undercook the pasta in question. There should be a balance of flavors and textures in whichever salad you make. Ultimately, when you combine your favorite ingredients, your crowd will surely be wowed by just about any combination you create. Happy tossing! 11Spending time outdoors this summer? Make sure you plan your next camping adventure to include greenhouse grown fruits & vegetables! Camping is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the great outdoors. One of the biggest challenges when camping is figuring out what to eat. With limited refrigeration and cooking equipment, developing healthy and satisfying meals can take time and effort. However, by using fresh greenhouse grown products and following simple tips, you can enjoy fresh and delicious meals while camping. GET YOUR CAMP KITCHEN READY! 12When packing ingredients for your camping trip, choosing versatile items that can be used in several meals is essential. For example, a bag of Sweet Bell Peppers can be used in a stir-fry, roasted as a side dish, or eaten raw as a snack. Beans and lentils are also excellent choices since they can be added to soups, salads, and pasta dishes. Limiting things like dairy that may spoil quickly with limited refrigeration is also essential. Instead, opt for non-dairy alternatives like almond milk or shelf- stable cheeses. There are a few things to remember when cooking at the campsite. First, ensure you have all the necessary cooking equipment, including pots, pans, utensils, and a camp stove. Bringing a cooler with ice packs to keep perishable items cold is also a good idea. One of the easiest ways to cook fresh vegetables while camping is to wrap them in foil and cook them over the fire. Simply place your vegetables on a large sheet of foil, add a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil tightly around the vegetables and place them on the fire’s edge, turning occasionally until tender and lightly charred. Another great option is to cook vegetables on a portable grill. Simply brush the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper before grilling until tender and charred. In addition to grilling and roasting vegetables, you can use them in salads, stir-fries, and pasta dishes. Add chopped peppers, onions, and zucchini to a pasta salad, or stir-fry broccoli and snow peas with garlic and ginger for a tasty side dish. C A M P D E LI C I O U S L Y T H I S S U M M E R 13 Another helpful tip is to prep as much as possible before you leave for your trip. Chop vegetables, marinate meats, and pre-cook any grains or pasta. This will save you time and make cooking at the campsite much more manageable. One of the most important things to do when planning a camping trip is to plan your meals ahead of time. Decide what you want to eat and list all the ingredients you will need. This will help you avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store, which can be a hassle when camping. Packing snacking items like Uno Bites™ Nano Cucumbers or Sangria® Medley Tomatoes mean that you can have fresh healthy snacks or recipe ingredients ready when hunger strikes. 14 SURF & TURF FOIL PACKETS SEE RECIPE C A M P D E LI C I O U S L Y T H I S S U M M E R1115 With some planning and preparation, you can enjoy fresh and healthy meals while camping. You can create delicious meals that will fuel your outdoor adventures by choosing versatile ingredients, limiting perishable items, and using simple cooking methods. MAPLE CHORIZO BREAKFAST SKILLET HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN & TOMATO FOIL PACKS SEE RECIPE SEE RECIPE CAMP WITH PURE FLAVOR®! 1616 The season for grilling has arrived! Get ready to use your BBQ, pour some lemonade, and invite your friends for a dinner of grilled goodness using greenhouse grown veggies! BEYOND THE BURGER FIRE UP THE (PLANT- BASED) GRILL! HOPE MONACO @thelocalplanteater GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI WITH ROASTED PEPPER SPREAD 42 mineasy217 Are you looking to go beyond the burger and create some delicious, balanced meals on the grill? Look no further! Here are some easy-to- follow tips that will leave your guests' taste buds wanting more. If you're looking for ways to take a healthy twist on the typical burger/ hot dog-based BBQ, you would be surprised and happy to hear that there are infinite options, aside from the classics, to put on the BBQ. For example, have you ever thought of BBQing your favorite vegetables? Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, sweet potatoes, zucchini, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, lettuce… all have the potential to be the star of the show this summer. This is the summer to get creative. Eat the Rainbow All vegetables can be cooked on the BBQ quickly. Grilling them up softens them and allows their flavors to flourish. All you need is a little bit of oil of your choice (sunflower, avocado, olive oil) and your favorite seasonings such as onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, pink salt, and pepper - you can even use a steak or chicken rub to add a hint of the classic BBQ flavor to your vegetables, (yes that's still considered plant-based!) If you're all about the different kinds of sauces, you will also be happy to know that grilled vegetables taste incredible paired with your favorite steak and chicken sauces - no missing out here. Get Creative Now, you love the idea of all the vegetables but fear you won't be satisfied or full? The tip here is to eat an abundance of vegetables. They take half the time that a traditional burger and hot dog would, so keeping a large assortment nearby and BBQing, as you go is the way. Remember that vegetables are low in calories and high in water content, so you should eat a large quantity as your main dish. Opt for hearty vegetables along the way to help you stay satisfied, like potatoes and eggplant. You can also assemble a salad with your grilled vegetables or pair your BBQ with a raw salad. You can even put your vegetables into a loaded sandwich by toasting your bread on the BBQ or making them into fajitas. You can get creative by adding a plant-based dipping sauce on the side, like tzatziki or hummus. Look for Other Plant-Based Alternatives + Keep An Open Mind If you want to prepare a plant-based BBQ but still need to decide if it's for you - start by switching out your favorite classics with some plant-based options like tofu or a clean, homemade veggie burger patty. With your favorite seasonings, you can quickly whip up some veggie skewers with tofu, peppers, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes. You can also grill your vegetables of choice and put them in a salad with some black beans and chickpeas with a creamy light dressing. Remember to keep an open mind when planning and hosting your plant- based BBQ - your roasted eggplant won't taste like your traditional steak. Still, you will have a deeper appreciation for all the flavors and plant-based dishes that can be brought to your backyard this Summer. SEE RECIPE 18 GRILLED EGGPLANT TOMATO SALAD TOMATO PROVENCAL SEE RECIPE PLANT-BASED GRILLING HANAN GHADBAN @ohmygoodiescc SEE RECIPE 30 min 4 30 min 219 TOFU VEGGIE SKEWERS GRILLED GARDEN VEGGIE PIZZA SEE RECIPE SEE RECIPE ALICIA GALANTIC @healthingyou 28 min 3 27 min 4Next >