It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As many varieties of fresh produce come into season in Canada, we want to provide you with storage tips, selection tips, and fresh recipes to inspire your cooking. What better time to try new dishes than the summer when produce is plentiful and so affordable?

Over the course of the summer and fall we’ll be featuring the following in season produce along with some delicious recipes:

May: Asparagus

New recipes for you to try:

Asparagus lentil curry

Asparagus Lentil Curry

Edamame and Asparagus Salad

Edamame and Asparagus Salad

Asparagus and tomato crostini

Grilled Asparagus and Tomato Crostini

June: Cherries and Cucumber

New recipes coming June 1st:

Cucumber Tomato Rice Noodle Salad

Cucumber Tomato Rice Noodle Salad

Cherry and blackberry macerated goat cheese

Cherry macerated goat cheese

Easy Fridge Pickles

Easy Fridge Pickles

July: Raspberries and Beets

New recipes coming July 1st:

Beet Dip

Beet Dip

Roast Beet Salad with Orange and Feta

Roast Beet Salad with Orange and Feta

Fresh Beet and Quinoa Salad

Fresh Beet and Quinoa Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August: Peaches and Zucchini

New recipes coming August 1st:

Zucchini ricotta rolls

Zucchini ricotta rolls

Zucchini Pepper Slaw

Zucchini Pepper Slaw

Prosciutto Grilled Peach Salad

Prosciutto Grilled Peach Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September: Blueberries and Tomatoes

New recipes coming September 1st:

Swiss Chard and Tomato Pasta

Swiss Chard and Tomato Pasta

Blueberry filled scones

Blueberry filled scones

Oatcakes with blueberry sauce

Oatcakes with blueberry sauce

October: Apples and Butternut Squash

New recipes coming October 1st:

Roasted squash pear salad

Roasted squash pear salad

Squash and gnocchi pasta

Squash and gnocchi pasta

Double Apple Cake

Double Apple Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our blog posts and recipes will also explore other in season produce including artichokes, beans, broccoli, corn, celery, cauliflower, leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radicchio, and sweet potatoes! To learn more about what’s in season in Ontario, visit Foodland Ontario.

We’ll also be featuring a monthly recipe from Chef Michael Smith to get you inspired so keep checking back at www.halfyourplate.ca for fresh content and recipes.

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When I toss romaine hearts into my shopping cart, chances are I'm heading home to make my family’s favourite salad. Every cook should know the joy of crafting a true Caesar salad while avoiding the also-ran dressings at the supermarket that never quite measure up to the real thing. Over time we’ve experimented with lots of additional flavours in this salad but, more often than not, I toss in lots of fresh basil leaves and brightly flavoured cherry tomatoes. What a great way to fill Half Your Plate! SERVES 4 TO 6 For the croutons 1 baguette, cut into large bite-sized cubes 1/4 cup (60 mL) of water 1/4 cup (60 mL) of your best olive oil For the dressing 6 thick slices of bacon, finely cut 1/4 cup (60 mL) of extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup (60 mL) of Dijon mustard 4 cloves of garlic a full 2-ounce (50 g) can of anchovies the zest and juice of 2 lemons 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of honey a dash or two of your favourite hot sauce For the salad 3 hearts of romaine lettuce, rinsed and sliced into bite sized pieces 1 large bunch of basil leaves 2-ounces or so of Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved into thin pieces with a vegetable peeler 1 pound of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Turn on your convection fan if you have one. Begin with the croutons. Sprinkle the bread cubes with water and toss until evenly absorbed. Continue tossing with the oil until it too is absorbed. Spread the works out on a baking tray and bake until the croutons are crispy, crunchy and thoroughly golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and cool while you prepare the rest of the salad. Make the dressing. Toss the bacon and a big splash of water into a pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the bacon is fully browned and evenly crispy, 10 minutes or so. Strain off the bacon bits and reserve for garnishing. Reserve all, some or none of the tasty fat. Measure the oil, Dijon, garlic, anchovies, lemon zest and juice, honey and hot sauce into your blender or food processor. Add the reserved bacon fat. Purée until smooth. Make the salad. In a large salad bowl toss together the romaine leaves, basil leaves, croutons and tomatoes. Pour in the dressing and toss the works until the salad is evenly dressed. Top with the bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve and share! Freestyle Flavour You can easily elevate this salad into an entire meal by adding lots of your favourite protein. Try grilling off a few chicken breasts and thinly slicing them into the works. A filet or two of salmon, grilled steak, pork tenderloin, even chunks of tofu can be added for a full protein kick.
Basil Caesar Salad
Free-from doesn’t mean ‘Limited’ when you fill #HalfYourPlate with colour!

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