The Tastes of Summer

Who would ever have thought that barbequing could provide a host of powerful and protective vitamins, flavonoids and carotenes?

This is easily achieved through using the grill for sizzling salads that feature colourful vegetables, lightly marinated and softened with smoky flavour. This month’s recipes feature the delicious cherry tomatoes of the season; maybe you’ll be able to harvest some of your own. These are then added to liver-cleansing artichokes, high-fibre chickpeas and heart-disease preventing olives. In fact, there’s no lettuce in this salad, and it’s ideal served on its own, with crusty whole wheat bread or as a side dish. All the ingredients are easy enough to cart along to a party, and you can cook it up right there. And why not experiment with some fresh fruit for dessert? Grilled fruit takes on a whole new dimension and this peach recipe is also ideal for other ripe fruits of the season such as nectarines and mangoes. Even kids will love these sweet treats. Try to buy organic fruits–other countries, where tropical fruits are grown, often have less stringent pesticide standards. Even in North America, orchard fruits are some of the most heavily sprayed crops. Buy the fruits when they are slightly soft and emit a sweet odour. Grill and enjoy!

–Salley Erry, RNCP

Grilled Tomato Salad with Artichokes and Olives

This easy salad has a wonderful smoked flavour, and looks gorgeous with the shiny tomatoes and rich colour of the olives. Artichokes are helpful in cleansing the liver and the tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene. The chickpeas add protein, minerals and fibre for a fully satisfying salad. Serves six.

Grilled Summer Peaches

I can’t imagine a yummier way to get my daily fruit servings than these sweet peaches. If the peaches are really ripe, consider going without the sugar and simply mix a little ginger with the lime juice before dipping. The ginger helps prevent cancer and the peaches are high in antioxidants that help protect from heart disease, cancer and other degenerative conditions.

Quark: Nutrition and Versatility

Today I want to introduce you to quark, a staple food that is delicious and versatile for use in any meal–breakfast or dinner, sweet or savoury. Very refreshing and satisfying are the recipes combining quark and fruit. There is no limit to what you can conjure with these ingredients.

–Christel Gursche

Quark and Berries in Season

Avocado-Quark Stuffed Tomatoes

Quark Mayonnaise

Make Your Own Quark

Quark is a soft white cheese derived from raw soured milk or buttermilk. It is rich in highly digestible protein containing all essential amino acids and calcium in a easy absorbable form, as well as lactic acid to help regulate the body’s metabolism. Quark also supports the liver in eliminating toxic metabolic waste. Making your own is as easy as counting from one to 10. Pour one quart of buttermilk into a glass or ceramic container and place it in the oven, which has been set at lowest temperature, not higher than 90 F (50 C). Let it sit overnight. The next morning, after the buttermilk has thickened, remove it from the oven. The milk solids will have separated from the liquid, which is called whey. Cover a strainer or sieve with cheesecloth. Gently lift the milk solids out of the container and place them in the strainer or sieve. Here's a tip: If you don’t want to mess around with cheesecloth get the Teldon Cheese strainer from your health food store. It’s convenient and easy to use. Let the milk solids drip dry for at least four hours. (I usually let it drip dry overnight). The white mixture left in the sieve is quark. One quart of buttermilk will yield about one cup of quark. You may regulate the softness of the quark by changing the amount of drip-drying time.

Quark makes a tasty bread spread if mixed with honey or sugar beet syrup, or a savoury spread if mixed with minced garlic and herbal salt. Try a dip made with quark, grated fresh horseradish, flax oil and herbal salt. Delicious!

If the quark is too hard, use some of the whey to soften it. The whey is very healthy and should not be thrown away. Use it for baking or in salad dressings or as a refreshing drink.