Easy Entrées: Tomato Basil Salad with Sweet Vinaigrette

Tomato Basil Salad with Sweet Vinaigrette - there seems to be a craze with serving food in mason jars at the moment. I too jumped on the bandwagon, just  for this one, but to be honest, they're not very practical. They're heavy and they're breakable but they do look pretty!

This will be the first in a series of posts, Easy Entrées - that not only look good AND taste good, but are also healthy and simple to make!

A lot of them are pretty basic. Some may not even deserve an entire post dedicated to them and some, like this one, are so simple that even a buffoon could throw them together but the point of them is to make something to eat that is made with REAL food and real ingredients.

Eating is a huge part of the French culture and lot of the French eat only seasonal foods; that is, tomatoes, strawberries and melons {for example} in the spring and summer months; pumkin, leek, and turnips in the autumn and winter months.

Once at a market, I was laughed away because I wanted to buy a pumpkin - in spring and another time, I wanted to buy Pink Lady apples and was told they are not harvested until late September or early October {and I always thought that apples and oranges were summer fruits}. But, in saying that, you can buy tomatoes all year round and they are a summer fruit.

Now, I dont want to sound like a food-snob, but I am very fussy about my tomatoes. Along with a few other fruits and legumes, I will not eat non-organic tomatoes. Not particularly because of the chemicals that they are pumped full of, or the fact that they are picked green and in turn ripened with a gas - but, I prefer organic tomatoes because they taste how a tomato should taste. Real... and oddly enough, like a tomato. With that said, I dont eat fresh tomatoes from October to June so by April they are something that I really crave and come late June, early July, I can barely wait to pick the first ones of the season.

I'm not one of those people that eat mostly organic food, despite the fact that Gabe's dad is an organic farmer. We eat organic because it's there; it's what Mathieu does for a living and he really does grow some beautiful produce. To be honest, I really think that eating organic and having an organic lifestyle is a priviledge for the well-to-do because in reality, the average family could not afford to eat and live 100% organic 100% of the time. When I meet people who say they eat only organic, I have to literally dig my fingernails into the palm of my hand to prevent myself from doing a HUGE eye-roll {with a scoff} in their face. Also, I like to indulge in a Double Cheeseburger every now and then and, I'm not ashamed to admit that. Sometimes, when I'm feeling really courageous, I like to drive past organic shops drinking a 2 litre bottle of Coke Zero. Rebel, I know it! And an idiot too... but back to the recipe!

It's early July now, the middle of Summer. The days are hot and dry... and the tomatoes are just starting to ripen so I am taking every opportunity I can to eat as many as I can.

With no further ado, this is what you'll need to make a basic Tomato Basil Salad...

For the tomato salad:

• 6 ripe tomatoes ~ diced or sliced, which ever you prefer.
• 3 stalks of Basil ~ leaves removed & chopped finely, keep a few baby basil leaves aside
• Salt, pepper to taste.

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1 - 2 garlic cloves
• 1 - 2 tbs fresh parsley - I'm not a huge fan of parsley, but it's good in this!
• 2/3 cup olive oil - Vigin, extra virgin - however you like it.
• 1/3 cup balsamique vinegar
• 2 tbs honey
• 2 tbs apple juice - you could use orange, lemon, lime or rasberry juice.

Directions:

1. Place diced tomatoes and basil in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a blender, mince the garlic and parsely leaves. Add oil, vinegar, honey and juice. Blend for a couple of minutes until it is mixed thoroughly. Taste. If you like it sweeter, add more honey.
3. Pour over tomato salad and toss. Add baby basil leaves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
4. Eat with some crusty bread and enjoy!

{Sometimes, I mix it up a bit and add a handful of feta or goat cheese and some black olives. I like to live on the edge!}
.