Warm Tomato Zucchini Salad with Spinach

This was inspired by my recent Sunday trip to a local farmer’s market. This is my little Disney! The rainbow of peppers, tomatoes, potatoes – from white to purple and everything in between.

Luckily I forgot to bring enough cash, so I was forced to stop at a certain point. Later that day my family was treated to a warm tomato-zucchini salad with wilted spinach and here is the recipe:



Warm Tomato Zucchini Salad with Spinach



2 yellow zucchini squashes, sliced

3 cups of baby spinach

3 garlic cloves – sliced

4 medium tomatoes, halved and sliced

Olive oil

White wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinegar – optional



Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and cook garlic for about a minute, then add zucchini and sauté for a couple of minutes, add white wine, salt and pepper and sauté another minute or so. Transfer into a salad bowl with a slotted spoon. Place spinach into the pan that still has the liquid. Cook until barely wilted and drain. Transfer to the salad bowl. Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar if using. Adjust seasoning and enjoy!

A Perfect Spring Soup...

Back in the days when vitamin supplements were not available and fruits and vegetables weren't dragged over the Equator, people really looked forward to spring and first vitamin packed greens: spinach, French sorrel, nettle... French sorrel is a very unique plant with quite a bit of pleasant tartness, similar to lemon. If you find it in a garden store, plant it in full sun and it will keep coming back year after year. In addition to having a pleasant taste, it promotes digestion. Sorrel is great in sauces, pies (think Rhubarb!) and salads.

If you lucky enough to find nettle growing wild ( Appalachian Trail /Broadwalk in Warwick! ) - bring some gloves along: raw nettle can sting your skin. It's not harmful, just a bit unpleasant. Nettle is not as tart as sorrel.

Light nettle and sorrel Soups are very popular in Europe. Here is one version for you. My kids call it French Egg Drop Soup... If you don't know what French sorrel or nettle is AND don't want to find out, then use organic spinach instead.



French Sorrel Spring Soup

6-8 cups of organic vegetable broth
3 medium potatoes, cut into small pieces
Large bunch of French sorrel, chopped
2 eggs, beaten

Cook potatoes in the boiling broth until done - don’t overcook. Add sorrel and then slowly add the eggs, stirring all the time. Done!
This is almost as easy as opening a can!