A side salad of Campari Tomatoes and Basil would be a great addition to your summer meals. Paired with any grilled meats or fish, the tomatoes/basil mix offers a bright and refreshing combination of flavors that lettuce just can’t match.
This dish is so simple and easy to prepare, I don’t even know if it qualifies as a “recipe”!
This is how I made my Tomato Salad:
- I use the freshest tomatoes I can find. The photo shows Campari tomatoes, they are small and very juicy. Cut into quarters, for small tomatoes.
- I picked fresh Basil and set it aside until the salad was completed.
- I used 1/4 of a medium red onion, diced.
- For spices, I used ground sea salt and cracked black peppercorns, also I sprinkled on, to taste, Greek Seasoning
- Add 1 tsp. granulated sugar, or 1 packet of Sweet and Low, Stevia, a sugar substitute, to the oil and vinegar mix, below.
- I used 3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, and 3 tbs. Seasoned Rice Vinegar, or a Red Wine Vinegar would be great
- Mix together well, cover with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator until time to serve.
- Before serving, I tear or chop the Basil and add to the top of the tomato salad.
- If this is a light meal, I add Ricotta Cheese also. It’s creamy, salty, and adds protein.
You can adjust your tomato/onion ratio according to the number of tomatoes, and servings you are preparing. Also, adjust your spices to taste.
You are actually making your own Vinaigrette dressing, it’s that easy!
My friends, I am a “home” cook, and my recipes are centered on what is local and available, the freshest farm grown ingredients, healthy food combinations in my menus, and having all of the “food groups” on my family’s dinner plates.
I’ve gardened since I was little, granted, I was the “helper”!
As a young bride, then a young mother, I drove to the Amish Farm Market for fresh produce and would freeze or can our food. I made my own Baby Food, which was healthy for my daughter, but a bit of a pain…. I didn’t do it for years, but all of the first year, because I believed it to be very important.
Processed foods concern me. We don’t even know what’s in our food, unless we have a hand in its planting, growing season and through harvest.
I could go on and on about this, but this is not why I’m writing….
Sidetracked. Again.
Please try this recipe. Please try “fresh”.
Bonus: This little Vinaigrette recipe can be used on a lettuce salad as well. Easy.
Healthy eating friends!
Hugs!,