Panzanella

I learned this recipe from a show called Real Simple. It is croutons with olives and tomatoes, which is a nice salad alternative when you already have enough green things on the plate. I also like it toasted in a pie pan the next day, with a sprinkle more of Parmesan.

5 cups 1-inch whole wheat bread cubes

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 large ripe tomatoes cut into wedges

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup oil-cured olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup shaved Parmesan

Dry the bread in a 350° F oven on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, and salt. Fold in the bread, tomatoes, onion, olives, and basil. Toss with the Parmesan. Serve.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

No tricks to this bread (although I make a Zucchini Chocolate Cake that you would not believe has tofu.) I make it all through fall and winter, and it is guaranteed no fail, no yeast, and no leftovers. I just made this for Charles’ dad last weekend using muffin tins to cut the baking time to a third, and we paired it with spinach salad and hard-boiled eggs for lunch. I include it exactly as it appears in my kitchen bible, Joy of Cooking (1997):

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

10-12 servings. We make this bread whether or not the garden runneth over! Serve with soup or salad for lunch or add to an assortment in a bread basket. Lovely toasted the next day.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan.

Whisk together in a large bowl:

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add and toss to separate and coat with flour:

1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped scallions

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried

Whisk together in another bowl:

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil

Add to the flour mixture and mix with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

P.S. No buttermilk? Add a touch of vinegar to 1 cup of milk.

Spinach Salad

1 bag baby spinach leaves

Sunflower seeds

Simulated bacon bits

Annie’s Goddess Dressing

Add ingredients to a large bowl and toss gently with a pair of tongs. The dressing will coat every leaf and wilt the spinach slightly. You can slice or chop hard-boiled eggs to add to the salad, or sometimes I just halve them and serve them on the side. (Try whisking together tahini, apple cider vinegar, sunflower oil and honey for a close-enough approximation of the Goddess.)

Broccoli Salad

Sometimes I worry that my entrée will flop, so I try to plan sides that could make up a decent meal on their own. This “back-up” meal usually revolves around a dense salad with nuts, dried fruit, olives or cheese. I landed this recipe from one of Charles’ co-workers, and it is my favourite for being raw, simple, inexpensive, and versatile. I last served it with Swiss & blue cheese veggie burgers, crisp green salad and sweet potato fries.

2 heads fresh broccoli

1/2 small onion, sliced thinly and marinated in cider vinegar, drained

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons white wine balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces. Combine with the raisins, almonds, onion, and mix well.

2. To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

This salad tastes best if made the day before and marinated overnight.