Tuesday, September 22, 2015

VeganMoFo Day 22: All Local, All Seasonal, All Delicious


Today's MoFo Prompt: "Make a dish using all seasonal produce."

3 varieties of summer squash, cilantro, avocado, 3 colors of bell pepper, a lime from our tree, and corn kernels

Oh yeah, I got this one in the bag. I'm pretty much all-seasonal, all the time to start with... so 99% nights of the year I'm using exclusively local produce. Every once in a while I buckle under the winter blues and buy an imported bell pepper or a mango. But for the most part, I am super lucky to live in a part of the world with totally rad year-round organic & local produce, and even fruit all year long. I'm not a snobby-poo-poo about it, it just sort of became my rhythm many years ago, and I enjoy it, and I've stuck with it. I enjoy the way that eating seasonally keeps me feeling connected to and aware of the cycles of nature around me. I love the thrill of seeing the first ears of corn each summer, or sampling the first delicious pear of autumn. In some perverse way, I even enjoy that fateful autumn day that the nectarine people don't show up to the market... It's all a way of noting the passing of time, and being a part of it.
 still hanging on to my summer veggie friends


grilled up and ready to salad-ify. color & beauty!

I thought it would be fun to take the extra step with this MoFo challenge and make a dinner with only seasonal produce... so, naturally I turned to the The Long Weekend Grilled Summer Salad from The Oh She Glows Cookbook. I love this recipe soooooo much. It's quick, summery, filling, nutritious, and flavorful -- the flavors and textures of the veggies really shine out and they aren't overpowered at all. I've simplified the recipe a little by pan-frying the corn kernels rather than grilling the corn cobs.


ready to be enjoyed!
just *barely* squeaked this picture in before the shorter day light hours of late summer gave out on me.

It's kind of remarkable how filling this salad is, even though it's just made of veggies. I love how the veggies are cut in big chunks and how they are only lightly grilled. I love the slightly charred bits from the grill. And I love the bright, tangy lime-cilantro dressing that goes with it. This recipe is one of my favorite summer-stand-bys... it was nice to reconnect with it at least one more time, before the onslaught of winter squash comes steam-rolling into our lives.


attack of the autumn veggies
I've seen them at the market, and I have averted mine eyes.

9 comments:

  1. i should really probably get a grill

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  2. The salad looks so good & your last illustration is hilarious! :D

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  3. OMG, that salad! I'm with you on not being ready for autumn though. So sad that it's tomorrow!! Winter is coming ... sigh ...

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  4. Do the "nectarine people" know you call them that, ha ha?

    I'd love to get some grilling tips from you. I just have a small grill and it never seems to get hot enough so I end up having to bring my veggies in and put them into the oven. It ends up being a not so happy experience.

    Speaking of the change in seasons, I'm loving picking apples from my apple tree. The first sign of fall for me. :)

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  5. I have been eyeing off that salad for when the weather warms up here and I can get back out on the deck with my BBQ. However I will need to sub all of the capsicum for something else!

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  6. How great you have access to so much great seasonal and local produce! I love your comment how it helps you mark the passing of time. :) That salad looks delicious!

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  7. Anonymous7:05 PM

    You could have drawn me in chasing the winter vegetables with a giant basket ;)

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  8. Them colours! Hope you outrun the autumn foods ;)

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  9. I love the last drawing (and all of the others, of course!). This colorful salad seems wonderful... grilled veggies are so good. I should really get the Oh She Glows book someday.

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