I'm so proud of my little man (my 7-year-old son, Jacob), who seems to be utilizing his green thumb (with the help of his Paw Paw, my father-in-law). He and Paw Paw planted this lovely tomato plant on our front porch, which has yielded some yummy fruit (that's right; a tomato is a fruit). I can't wait for these green goodies to turn sun-ripened red, so we can enjoy them in our favorite simple summer recipes.I wonder if Jeff and Helen have any ripe ones to spare, as they have the most amazing backyard garden. You should see what grows inside this dome.
But, back to today's recipe, which was inspired by a package of Lydia's Organics Sunflower Seed Bread, although you could use your favorite raw "bread" recipe (don't forget that Natural Zing offers a great selection of ingredients for your raw "bread" unbaking needs). I just happened to have some of this pre-made product on hand, which makes this meal so easy; I like to call it, "Easy Peasy Raw Panzanella."
What is panzanella? Well, it's a basic Italian bread salad, made out of day-old bread, vine-ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. It doesn't get any easier than that. And, with the help of a convenience product like one of these pre-made "breads," there are no excuses not to make some yourself (unless you are still waiting for your tomatoes to ripen).You don't have to measure anything. Make as much or as little as you want, and season it to suit your tastes. I've pretty much given you all the guidance you need, but if you still need a recipe, here you go:
Easy Peasy Raw Panzanella
Prepared raw "bread," broken into bite-size pieces
Fresh tomatoes, sliced into chunks
Handfuls of fresh basil leaves
Drizzle of red wine vinegar
Heavier drizzle of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Place the tomatoes and basil leaves in a bowl. Drizzle with some red wine vinegar, and a heavier drizzle of EVOO. Then, season with sea salt and pepper.
Add the "bread" pieces, and toss to coat. Taste, and adjust the flavors to your liking. The "bread" should absorb some of the liquid and soften. Now, it's ready to serve.
*This is just a basic recipe, but feel free to make your own adjustments. Red onion, cucumbers and bell peppers are common additions, and olives are great in this, too.
Shannonmarie, a.k.a. "Rawdorable," also posts on her blog of the same name, http://rawdorable.blogspot.com/.
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