Easy Sides for the Long Weekend!

This Week’s Vegetable Box Feature: Easy and delicious side dishes to serve at your Labour Day BBQ/Celebrations!

With many of you hosting or attending Labour Day BBQ/parties I thought I would share easy and delicious side dish recipes using this week’s fresh vegetable bundle.

 

Ever wonder the Origin of Labour Day? It is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

However, since it also marks the last long weekend of the Summer, I hope you spend more time “working on your tan” outside and less time “working in the kitchen” while still being able to enjoy some delicious meals.

 

 

Recipes:

 

 

Spicy Grilled Corn Salad Recipe

Created by: Southern Living Test Kitchen

A delicious salad for your BBQ and switch up how you enjoy this week’s sweet corn.

 

Ingredients:

8 large ears fresh yellow corn, husks removed

3 TBSP mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp black pepper, divided

1 medium-size red onion, cut into

1/2-in.-thick slices

3 large jalapeño chiles, halved lengthwise and seeds removed (could switch it up & use this week’s sweet ones)

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 450°F). Brush corn with mayonnaise; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Grill corn, covered, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (Kernels may pop.)

2. Brush onion and jalapeños with oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill onion and jalapeños, covered, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Cut kernels from corn into a large bowl. Chop onion and jalapeños; add to corn kernels. Stir in cilantro and lime juice; serve immediately.

 

 

Grilled Kohlrabi with Dijon Vinaigrette

Created by: Blue Flame Kitchen

Grill these beside your favourite protein for an easy meal on the BBQ!

 

Ingredients:

½ cup avocado oil

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 shallot, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 TBSP liquid honey

1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt, divided

1 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided

6 thinly sliced peeled medium kohlrabi (¼ inch)

1 TBSP avocado oil

1 tsp grated lemon peel, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat for 5 – 10 minutes.

2. To make dressing, combine ½ cup oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar, shallot, garlic, honey, thyme, paprika, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper in a mini food processor; purée until smooth.

3. Toss kohlrabi with 1 TBSP oil, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Grill kohlrabi until tender, but still slightly crunchy, about 3 minutes per side.

4. Garnish with lemon peel. Drizzle dressing over grilled kohlrabi or serve on the side.

 

 

Best Summer Cherry Tomato Salad

Created by: Jyothi Rajesh

This fresh tomato salad is simply the best and easiest summer salad you’ll ever make! This salad is ideal to be served with anything from the grill! It tastes absolutely delicious after it has been marinated for an hour. Best served chilled!

 

Ingredients:

2 pints fresh cherry tomatoes halved

1 red onion thinly sliced

1 TBSP red wine vinegar, good quality

3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP fresh basil chopped fine

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place chopped tomatoes, sliced red onions in a salad mixing bowl.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

3. Season with crushed peppers and salt to taste.

4. Sprinkle fresh chopped basil leaves.

5. Gently toss everything together.

6. Let the salad sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

7. Serve the salad with your favorite grilled meat/protein.

 

 

Broccoli Microgreen Salad

Whip up a microgreens salad recipe with a lip-smacking lime vinaigrette dressing. It’s so elegant and fresh—perfect for a summer meal!

 

Ingredients:

1 pkg broccoli microgreens, washed

6 radishes, halved or sliced

2 TBSP lime juice

1/8 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 TBSP olive oil

coarse sea salt, to taste

ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place the microgreens and radishes into a serving bowl and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

2. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. At the last moment before serving, dress the salad lightly with dressing, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Enjoy!

 

 

Potato & Leek Salad

Created By: Sam

A wonderful variation to the classic pairing of Leek and Potato. This is a really simple but really delicious side, perfect for a summer barbecue.

 

Ingredients:

2 large leeks, cut into chunks

2 cups baby new potatoes (or this week’s white potatoes), cooked

Handful of capers

1 small bunch of dill, finely chopped

Zest of ½ a Lemon

Dressing:

3 tsp Greek yoghurt

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Juice of ½ a lemon

Pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

Dressing

1. To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients together until you have a homogenous, loose yoghurt dressing.

Salad

1. This recipe is a great way for using up leftover boiled potatoes. If you are without any pre cooked potatoes, simply boil the new potatoes for 20 minutes before.

2. Preheat the oven to 220 °C.

3. Toss the cooked potatoes with a lug of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Transfer to a baking tray and place into the oven cooking for 20 minutes until the potatoes are warmed through and the skin is becoming slightly crispy.

4. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, arrange the chopped leeks (ideally chopped to a similar size as the potatoes) into a steamer, and steam for 15 minutes or until they are soft and sweet but not completely falling apart.

5. Once both the potatoes and the leeks are cooked, transfer to a serving dish and add half the dressing along with the dill and cappers. Mix together gently and then serve with the remaining dressing on the side and a zest of lemon.

Simple but delicious.

 

 

Recipes are curated by Lauren