Autumn falls and mixed greens for salad

Well, it seems like our weather has finally changed … we are definitely moving into Autumn and although I definitely prefer blue skies and sunshine, there is something very beautiful about this time of year. The winds today are not cold, yet they are definitely rhythmic. Trees are swaying gently and leaves are fluttering, often taking long detours before coming to their final resting places. While walking my dogs, the falling leaves have really caught my attention … maples that are a combination of dark red, orange and yellow, and others that include green, yellow, black and touches of red, orange. I will press some and use them for bookmarks or, perhaps, for table decoration at Thanksgiving. The less attractive varieties will still be valued by this hobby gardener for they provide warmth and protection to garden plants through the winter. Also known as “mulch” those leaves, as they rot over the winter, will also provide the soil with valuable nutrients.

I am still busily harvesting from my garden each day. Just last night, to accompany our wild salmon (cooked atop a thick layer of salt in a cast-iron pan), I served a mixed green salad with freshly dug, steamed yukon gold potatoes and multi-coloured nasturtium flowers. Greens included: mixed baby lettuce, mizuma, rainbow chard, parsley and radicchio. I was thrilled to find a few perfect tomatoes still on the vines (usually unheard of on October 1st)as well as lots of small, red hot peppers. I made a simple salad dressing with dijon mustard, premium olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon, pepper and salt and mixed the warm potatoes in with the salad and dressing. The result, a warm salad with lots of colour and nutrients.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm … warm salads with substance – another way to continue eating healthily during cooler weather.