Eat Simply, Eat Well

Healthy recipes & tips to help you live the good life. by Ann Plough

Caprese Avocado Salad

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Somewhere in Finland, the sun is shining hot and bright…into a greenhouse. That’s the only explanation I have for the recent abundance of and relatively great prices for Finnish tomatoes. It’s not hot around here people, but we’ve got tomatoes.

This chilly Summer would be getting me down, if it weren’t for the fact that some much more talented gardeners in this country have figured out how to produce great vegetables locally despite the cold and rain. How cold? Highs of 19° C and lows of 11° or 12° C. Cold enough to slow the progress of vegetables in my two gardens and on my 8th floor balcony, but not the herbs! Basil, despite being a heat-loving creature, continues to produce. Kale grows in such abundance that I can use it in a smoothie everyday, and chances are good I’ll still have a pile left to freeze when the frosts begin to threaten. The strawberries have just come into their own: flats of the small, sweet delicious berries are prominent in the market right now, and I’ve been stocking up. And my garden has been producing, under a fleece cover, as much salad as two people can eat. Oh, happy days!

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And then, there are those local tomatoes. The flavor is so perfect and delightful, that I buy them by the 5kg case, roasting and freezing 2/3 (we’ve already dug in, and will be using these all Winter long…) and using the rest as we go in everything that looks like it could use a good shock of color and flavor. Raw tomatoes are best, in my opinion, lightly salted with a bit of basil to snuggle next to, and if feeling a need for creaminess, avocado and the classic Italian addition of fresh mozzarella. You can’t go wrong marrying these flavors atop a salad of freshly-picked garden greens and serving them alongside a loaf of your favorite sourdough.

This is one time to invest in really good quality ingredients: the ingredients are few, so each one really plays a strong role here. You’ll want to let the best of the best shine.

Note: I used red tomatoes because that’s what I found in abundance. For extra beauty, go crazy and add tomatoes of every color of the rainbow!

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Caprese Avocado Salad

  • 4 cups fresh salad greens, rinsed, spun dry, and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 medium-sized, perfectly ripe, fresh local tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 fresh mozzarella ball, sliced in half and cut into slices
  • 1/4 packed cup of fresh basil leaves, julienned (cut into thin strips), plus a few basil tops for garnish
  • good quality aged balsamic vinegar (should be like syrup)
  • good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Put the salad greens and half of the basil into a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, a pinch of salt, and 6 grinds of fresh pepper. Mix thoroughly. Arrange across a small serving platter.

Arrange the tomato sliced across the top of the salad and tuck a mozzarella slice between each one. Sprinkle the avocado chunks over the tomatoes. Garnish with a few basil sprigs and drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the salad.

Serves 2.

Looking for other ways to use your Summer tomatoes? You may also like:

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Spicy Black Bean, Chickpea, Avocado & Tomato Tortillas

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Summer came fleetingly to Finland late last week, warmed us all up over the course of a glorious three days, and then hid itself behind the gray clouds bringing thunder and rain to an already stunningly green countryside, but painfully little sunshine. We had been eyeing the weather forecast for days, hoping that the temperatures would rise above 20°C so that we’d feel as though we’d actually had a Summer. You see, the Winters are so long and cold and dark up here, that one of the primary things that gets me through them is the knowledge that the Scandinavian Summer can be one of the most beautiful experiences you can imagine: endlessly long, nearly night-free days; sauna by the lake shore; berries ripening all over in the forests; mushrooms tucked away in their hidden, secret, corners; summer vacation that stretches 5 to 6 weeks or more…this place and its people can really do the season justice.

But this year, there seems to be a reluctance about the whole summer thing. So much so that even the little kids are feeling that lack. Friends related a story of an 8-year-old Finnish boy, whose family had spent a warm month in Teneriffe during the Winter, who recently wrote a note to his father: “Let’s go back to Teneriffe. Here in Finland, there are only 3 cold months and 9 really cold months!” Yup. That’s how it sometimes feels.

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But there is evidence of Summer when I look out my window and see green far across the distance and out to where the line of green meets the blue-gray of the sea. I feel it across my shoulders when I bike vigorously from place to place, dressed in a long-sleeve shirt and shorts or jeans, but as of yet, no jacket. I feel it in the warm wind through my hair and the late-night (11 PM) sunsets viewed from our balcony high above the bay. And I taste it in the tomatoes.

Summer tomatoes and Winter tomatoes are two completely different species. In Winter, the tomato that is tossed into the cafeteria or restaurant salads, presumably out of habit, isn’t worth the space it displaces to be there. In the Summer months, however, there is a sweet tanginess to tomatoes that for years and years of my childhood I didn’t appreciate. Thankfully that’s changed: recently I came across the first of Finnish tomatoes offered in bulk locally, and bought a 6 kg box of them. Everything’s coming to the table with tomatoes included around here, and I couldn’t be happier.

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6 kg of tomatoes is a big pile of tomatoes, but no worries. Some went into fresh salsa. 4 kg were halved, salted and oven dried according to tradition in this oven-dried tomato recipe. Some of these we froze and the remainder were placed in rapeseed oil into the refrigerator to add a welcome zing and depth to pasta salads, soups, risottos, bread slices, or whatever else seems like a good match for the caramelized tomato flavor that emerges with a long, slow roast in the oven.

But with all of that, we still have a few left. So this morning, I put together a spicy bean and tomato mixture which we enjoyed over corn tortillas for lunch. I’m still smiling about it, and you will be too when you realize just how easy and delicious and healthy this recipe is. You could even take it on a picnic and serve the tortillas and filling at room temperature. If you want to warm tortillas for just a couple of people, I highly recommend popping them in the toaster briefly. It takes about 30 seconds and you’re left with a nice, soft, pleasantly warm tortilla.

Whether or not Summer’s heat returns again, I’ll be enjoying seasonal produce, right here.

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Spicy Black Bean, Chickpea, Avocado & Tomato Tortillas

  • 8 corn tortillas, preferably organic & GMO-free
  • 1/2 cup / 1 dl finely chopped green onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • juice and zest of 1/2 lemon (zest first; then juice)
  • 1.5 cups / 3 dl cooked chickpeas, drained (1 can)
  • 1.5 cups / 3 dl cooked black beans, drained (1 can)
  • 3-4 medium-sized ripe, fresh Summer tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup / 3/4 dl fresh cilantro, stems and leaves finely chopped
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon Chipotle powder or Chili powder (to your taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt; more if needed
  • 2 avocados, halved, pits removed and sliced
  • 2-3 cups / 4-6 dl fresh lettuce leaves, rinsed, dried, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 teaspoons fresh, additive-free cream cheese, optional
  • cilantro (coriander) leaves for garnish

In a small bowl, combine the green onion, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir well; then allow to sit for at least 5 minutes to take the sharp edge off of the onion flavor. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients.

Combine all ingredients, including the onion mixture and stir well to combine. Taste for salt and chili levels and adjust to your taste.

Warm the tortillas in a heavy bottomed frying pan, the oven, the toaster, or via 10 seconds in the microwave. If you are using cream cheese, spread 1 teaspoon evenly across each tortilla. Place 2 tortillas onto each plate with the outsides of the two tortillas supporting each other. Place a handful of lettuce onto each tortilla; press down. Top with a few spoonfuls of the bean filling, slices from 1/2 avocado, and if desired, a few cilantro leaves.

Serves 4.

Like it? Let us know in the comments below and share it with your friends.

Lettuce & Veggie Wraps w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce

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Last night at Teurastamo, the site of the old butchery in Helsinki, the Hairy Bikers were taping a segment of their upcoming show on Finnish food. They’d gone foraging in the forests earlier in the day with Sami Tallberg, getting an up-close and personal view of the wild food Finland has on offer, and then cooked with Sami at the “Food Bike Carnival with the Hairy Bikers” event.  Unfortunately, I was unable to be there for the cooking segment, but enjoyed a brief chat with the honorable gentlemen later in the evening. We talked a bit about their foraging experience, and then I asked them “Why come to Finland for food?”

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It all began with the bidding competition to host the 2012 Olympics. Final round, London vs. Paris, Dave told me. Jaques Chirac was overheard saying: “Why would you want to hold the Olympics in the country whose food is the second worst in the Europe, behind only Finland?!?”.  The voting  was close. Just a few votes separated the winner from the loser, but London emerged victorious. To the Hairy Bikers, Si King and Dave Myers, there was one, clear, logical reason for this: Finland must have voted for London. Si and Dave had observed over the years how British food had emerged to become exciting and innovative; a leader in taste and flavor; and were suspicious that perhaps, like the UK, Finland’s much maligned food culture was misunderstood. They did their research, planned their trip, and here they are on a 5-day mission to unmask the truth behind the fallacy: Finnish food can be pretty darn tasty and the ingredients unusual and amazing. So far so good. They’ve “tried some unusual ingredients in interesting combinations” and have thoroughly enjoyed every bite.  Details? Stay tuned for that! These boys are certain to get to the heart of the matter when the show airs.

What I loved about my conversation with Si and Dave was the open-hearted nature in which they embraced food and new/different food cultures. Food unites people within and across borders, and the work these guys do to break down barriers and misperceptions related to food is admirable. So too is the role they’ve had in helping their followers get healthy.

Though we didn’t discuss it yesterday, in 2013, the Hairy Bikers made a major change in taking back control of their health. They realized that their love of food had lead them to a place where they were overweight and less healthy than the wanted to be. Being foodies, they also realized that a diet of deprivation and of eating foods that didn’t actually appeal to them wasn’t the answer: things had to look good and taste good, while being good for them. They changed their diet, worked on updating much-loved recipes to keep them tasting good while reducing the calories, fat and sugar, and dropped three stone (42 pounds) each along the way. In September 2014, Si suffered a brain aneurysm that put him in the hospital for several weeks and served as another wake-call to the importance of good health – one beyond just diet and including a balanced lifestyle where stress was under control as well. Says Si “If I hadn’t lost all that weight (before the aneurysm), I might not be here right now. ” They’ve now published three cookbooks, have started “The Hairy Bikers’ Diet Club” and have done a series with BBC about reinventing the food they love into a healthier iteration that everyone can love – and feel good about. What’s not to love? Take a look at them in action here:

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In my studies to become a certified health coach, as I learn more and more about nutrition, habits and the way we live – I look at the world around me and see so many people struggling with the same challenges that the Hairy Bikers faced: busy, stressful, demanding lives; a love of good food; food being part of celebrations; food used for comfort; traditional, much-loved recipes with more calories than we could ever guess. Obesity is a world epidemic, and a problem that is widely acknowledged to be an economic challenge as much as it is a health challenge. People who are overweight or obese tend to have more health problems over their lifetime. They tend to have more sick days and to be less productive while at work. Often, they note that their quality of life is less than they would like it to be as they find their weight, size and fitness levels restrict them from or do not support the type of life they want to live. Further, the obesity problem costs the world a jaw-dropping $2 trillion dollars per year, coming in third place behind smoking and armed conflict and just ahead of alcohol.  It impacts all of us. But we can turn it around.

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So where do we begin? I don’t believe in dieting – I believe in changing our diet. Traditional dieting is not sustainable – people end up on and off of diets, weight yo-yoing up and down, and feeling generally dissatisfied. I strongly believe in creating a lifestyle change that works for you and the way you live specifically (because everybody is different), and includes more of the foods that provide the macro- and micro- nutrients our bodies need to be at their strongest and fittest state, does. Where do you start? You start with real, whole foods. Foods that you recognize and can pronounce (although admittedly, with names like kohlrabi, aubergine and jicama – even real foods can have names that may seem unusual…!). Foods that are fresh and good, local and/or organic if possible. Meat and fish that is of good quality and sustainably sourced. Foods like this may require a bit more planning and a bit more prep, but in the end, your waistline will shrink, your health and energy will improve, and you’ll waste less time nursing common illnesses and diseases that are diet-related.

But…the food that fits into this lifestyle must taste good or we won’t bother; and it has to be super simple to prepare while packing in the flavor. As the Hairy Bikers note, we want to be healthy, but we also still want to enjoy our food along the way.

The recipe I’ll share with you today really delivers – healthy and packed with flavor and crunch and spice, it is addicting in a good way and provides tons of macronutrients and fiber along with good fats and protein. Use any variety of the freshest vegetables you can find, good quality lettuce, and peanut butter without preservatives. If you wish, everything can be made ahead and packed to take with you: for a lunch at work; a potluck; a picnic; a road trip. As for me, I’m packing this into the saddle bag on my bike and cannot wait to enjoy it overlooking some beautiful vista somewhere…

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Lettuce & Veggie Wraps w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce

For the peanut sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons peeled, minced ginger
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy – your preference
  • 2 tablespoons tamari (can also use regular soy sauce if gluten is no issue)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce of choice
  • juice of 1/2 lemon

Melt the coconut oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant and tender; 2-3 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.

For the vegetables:

  • one head of the lettuce of your choice (choose romaine, or a dark lettuce for more micronutrients)
  • variety of vegetables cut into long strips including:
    • red, yellow, orange bell pepper
    • kohlrabi
    • cucumber
    • zucchini (courgette)
    • carrot
    • fennel

To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves and vegetables on a large platter. Serve with the peanut sauce on a the side so that each person can pile the vegetables they want to eat onto the lettuce cup and spoon peanut sauce over the top. This can be served as an appetizer or snack, or go crazy and turn it into lunch!

Serves 4-6.