Salad Bar Day- Basil Pesto Potato Salad And Greens With Spicy Walnuts

If I may I would love to join the gang at #fruitsandveggiesmonday by @lenasveganliving also thanks to @plantstoplanks .

We had some warmth today. Montreal is unpredictable. Yesterday was nice as well. We started digging in the backyard. There is a small patch where we will attempt to grow some vegetables. We could just buy them but there is a great feeling when you touch soil and imagine that there can be nourishment created from it, and to see it slowly unfold. This is all that has been missing in my life. So even though life is currently like a nightmare, I am doing what I have dreamed for a while. Making a garden. We finally convinced my in- laws.

Yesterday we did the unthinkable, and ordered a pizza. It was vegan and had vegan cheese on it, but after I ate it, I felt kind of dirty like after a sleezy one night stand, (not that I would know), but I've seen it in the movies so I can imagine.

Today I went to the corner and picked up some items for salads. It would be a salad day.

I wanted to have a gluten free day so I bought my favorite potatoes. Russets are right for me. They are nice and mealy. I'm not a fan of waxy potatoes except if I put them in soup. Even then I would always prefer a mealy potato.

I made potato salad. It was a basil pesto potato salad. I love basil and I will attempt to grow it in our little garden plot.

Basil Pesto

• cup fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• juice of 2 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup cashews or pine nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

Pesto Potato Salad

• 5 or six medium size potatoes diced,cooked and cooled
• 1 zucchini sliced or diced or shreddred
• 1 carrot sliced, diced or shredded
• 1/cup onion diced or sliced or minced
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 cup chopped parsley

Mix the pesto with the potato and the other vegetables.

Spicy sweet walnuts for green salad

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  I put them on high heat in a pan but you could do them in the oven on a baking sheet until brown and crispy.

I put in the bowl all of the greens that I had in the fridge.

The greens were romaine, arugula, and spinach. I added cherry tomatoes as well.

Salad Dressing
Add to the mixer with the pesto residue, 1/4 cup balsamic, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. Shake and pour on the green salad.


It wasn't going to end there. We waited for twenty minutes then we had to
have a light desert.
I picked up some frozen blueberries and some coconut yogurt which I didn't see during my winter in Asia. So even though it isn't something I would normally get, I thought that a warm couple of days invited a nice light frozen desert to help cheer us up.

Vegan Blueberry Yogurt Ice Cream

• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 1 cup vegan yogurt
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup or sweetener
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  

I wish for everyone to feel warm and fed. I know it's tough for many around the world. I have to remind myself how good I am right now despite my discomfort of living conditions.

I do feel anxiety on and off about what lies ahead. I am relieved when I remind myself that I have always been okay up until now, having always been saved when I needed, so why would it change?

Meanwhile as much as we can, let's eat, drink and be merry!