Years ago, a friend of mine worked in market research for a major manufacturer of baby products. When they asked moms and grandmothers what they wanted for Mother’s Day, the women resoundingly asked for some quiet time to themselves, with no demands, no questions, no fuss or obligations.
So give mom what she wants. Make her this delicious, nutritious and colourful salad to enjoy at her leisure and send her off for a day of whatever makes her happy. Your mom knows what that is.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who are moms, have been moms, had moms, want to be moms, will be moms. All of you – have a wonderful day.
GRAINS & FRUIT SUMMER SALAD
(makes 4-6 servings)
INGREDIENTS
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked grains (e.g. quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, wheatberries, millet)
½ cup sliced green onions
4 cups mixed spring greens or lettuce
2 cups blueberries
1 cup cantaloupe cubes
1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise in narrow ribbons
½ cup toasted walnut pieces
4 oz smoked salmon, flaked* (optional)
1/3 cup shredded fresh herbs (mint, dill, basil)]
*You could also try slices of prosciutto, cubed ham, or even diced chicken instead of salmon.
Making the Cooked Quinoa
½ cup quinoa
1 cup water
Put all the ingredients together in a pot, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low for 15 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
PREPARATION:
For the basil dressing, in a blender or small food processor, combine the basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cover and blend until the dressing is almost smooth. Set aside.
In a medium bowl stir together the cooked grains and green onions. Stir in 2 tbsp of the basil dressing.
For the salad, line a large bowl with the spring greens. Top the greens with the grains mixture, blueberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, zucchini, walnuts and salmon, if using. Drizzle with half the remaining basil dressing. Toss gently. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
