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Bring it on – Barbecue Season!
Taste Life
By Danielle Cardozo
I always look forward to the week after the May long weekend. If you’re from the Kootenays, you know that the May long weekend is a signal for rain, and the week after is sunshine.
I was blessed this past Tuesday to have an incredibly fun evening barbecue with some good friends and our children. My friend and I both spent our childhoods out at Rosen Lake, Jaffray. I must say that as kids we really knew how to have fun. And thus, when we got our children together, we had to share in one of our favorite summer past times.
I give you the dish soap trampoline!
Just throw the sprinkler under the trampoline and a little (or a lot of) dish soap on it. If you have a trampoline and children, I suggest you try it. Not only will you get cool parent points, but you don’t have to give them a bath before bed either.
Besides the fun with friends and family, my favorite part of summer is definitely the barbecued food. The barbecue is my best friend since I have no air conditioning in my house. I’ve learned that it is really easy to go overboard during barbecue season with greasy burgers, buttery corn on the cob, and creamy mayo drenched potato salad. And with barbecue season being the perfect time to get your friends and their kids together every second evening, it’s easy to get into that fat indulgent diet.
However, this summer is going to be a little different because my friends and I have committed to a healthy summer. So we decided on a simple night of barbecued chicken and salad.
When I say my friends and I have committed to a healthy lifestyle, I mostly mean my friends have. I say I am involved: I absolutely believe in healthy diet and exercise. I make a point of hiking Eager Hill three times a week. Where my friends are committed: Meet Brett and Fiona. Each are trained by Cranbrook’s Laurie Dickson, and impressively placed second in each of their respective divisions at the Calgary NPAA Fitness Competition this past Sunday. We really do have some impressive women in Cranbrook! Our barbecue was a nice celebration of their recent win!
Now, keep in mind that feeding these ladies means I needed to come up with something healthy and delicious. Brett asked me to bring a salad (bunny food, as my grandmother used to call it). For anyone who knows me, I am usually the last person to serve a salad with dinner on a day-to-day basis. However, every once in awhile I find a salad that satisfies my desire for healthy and delicious food, that actually fills me up for more than 10 minutes. So tonight I brought them my Kale, Quinoa, and Brussels Sprout Salad. I must say it was a huge hit! I’ll be the first to admit that it sounds a little too healthy. But trust me, the next time you get invited to a barbecue and you bring this salad, your friends will be thanking you for staying away from typical bunny food!
Now before I post the recipe, I have one last message for Brett… Sorry girl, I’m not committing. Maybe next month I will be brave enough!
Kale, Quinoa, and Brussels Sprout Salad
1 bunch of curly green kale
12 Brussels sprouts
1.5 cups cooked quinoa
1.5 cups cooked bulgar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries.
1 cup sesame vinaigrette
Sesame Vinaigrette
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. Combine all ingredients for sesame vinaigrette. Mix very well and set aside.
2. Use a knife to cut out the ribs of the kale leaves. Chop the kale leaves into small pieces. Chop off and discard the stem end of the Brussels. Slice thinly and use your fingers to break up any clumps. Combine together in a bowl with the sesame vinaigrette. Massage the kale and Brussels sprouts by hand until the kale turns dark green and relaxes.
3. Add cooked quinoa and bulgur to the salad. It’s okay to add it when it’s warm. This will only encourage the kale to relax further.
4. In a small pan over medium heat, toast the almonds and walnuts. Remove from the pan. Add sugar and water to the pan and bring to a simmer to create a light syrup. Reincorporate the almonds and walnuts until coated. Pour into a pan/dish into a single layer until the syrup has cooled on the nuts.
5. Add nuts and cranberries to salad.
The best part about this salad is that you can enjoy this salad warm or chilled! I hope you enjoy this incredible barbecue season with some healthy meals all summer long!
Danielle
Xoxo
– Danielle Cardozo is a mom of three, entrepreneur, and shameless idealist. Whether it be creating it, sharing it, or writing about it; the culinary world is her ultimate passion. Danielle placed eighth on the first ever season of CTV’s MasterChef Canada, and has continued blazing her trail in the culinary world since. Danielle contributes her success to hard work and being stubborn, as she’s never believed anyone who has told her she can’t do something.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/danielle.c.cardozo
Website http://daniellecardozo.ca/
