Garden Tomato and Basil Salad

Summer this year proved to be great for gardens in Melbourne, with plenty of rain and sunshine to nourish the plants in my backyard. Two of my most treasured plants, tomato and basil, partner perfectly together to create a refreshing salad for a quick, light and delicious snack or accompaniment for a meal.

The vibrant colours make me feel so happy! Ahh the simple things in life...

You will need:

- 4 ripe tomatoes

- Handful of fresh basil leaves

- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar

- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

- Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Roughly chop the basil and cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Combine both onto a serving dish. Make the dressing by mixing together the vingear, oil and plenty of seasoning. Check the taste and adjust accordingly, if needed. To serve, simply drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes and basil.

Tomato and Basil Salad

Tomato and Basil salad with Feta - Crumble over creamy feta to break through the tartness of the dressing and compliment the juicy tomatoes. I used Dodoni Goat Feta.

 

A is for Apple

Hello! How is everyone? :-) Apologies for the lengthy delay in posting. The start of Uni again has kept me busy with my studies and has not left much time for cooking, blogging or eating out. The list of what awaits to be blogged about seems endless and really isn't helping with motivating me to write up posts, if ya know what I mean! Anyway, thought I'd break the absence with some interesting facts about one of my favourite fruits,  the apple, courtesy of Horticulture Australia.

 

 - There are approximately 10,000 varieties of apples grown around the world.

- Apple varieties range in size from the size of a cherry to almost as large as a grapefruit.

- An apple tree is able to produce fruit for up to 100 years.

- Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.

- Apples are covered in a natural layer of wax which protects their water content and maintains crispness.

- Apples have more than twice the antioxidant capacity of a cup of brewed tea.

- Apples are sometimes called "nature's toothbrush"; They help clean the teeth and massage the gums.

- Two thirds of the fibre and many of the antioxidant in apples are found in the skin.

- Daily apple eaters breathe more easily due to stronger lung function.

- Apple cider and apple juice can be interchanged in recipes.

- To peel apples, dip them quickly in and out of boiling water. The skin will come off much more readily.

- When making salads, dip apple slices in fresh lemon juice or salted water to prevent slices from turning brown.