Foodie Finds (and Simple Summer Meals)

Do you like going to the grocery store? I love it, actually. Whether it’s a quick stop at the local market on my way home, or an extended trip to Whole Foods, I enjoy stocking up on pantry staples, fresh produce, and the unexpected new item. It’s a fun, relaxing experience for me, and I like to take my time to explore the options and leave room for inspiration.

For example, this week I was inspired by the idea of roasted (I don’t have a grill…) summer vegetables! 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and these veggies were divine!

Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

We’re starting a new “series” for the blog, “Foodie Finds”, in which we’ll report on some of the new things we find at the grocery store and how we have used them. My most recent “find” was canned Alaskan Salmon.

While canned tuna is one of my pantry staples, I had never tried salmon before! I am picky about my salmon, preferring to only eat Wild Alaskan Salmon, as opposed to the farmed Atlantic variety. I’ve seen positive reviews for Wild Planet’s tuna, so I decided to branch out and give the salmon a try!

Be sure to go with the red label–more Omega 3s than the pink!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that canned salmon, like canned tuna, is very good! I mixed this can with white beans, basil, and Lemonaise. I would show you a photo, but unfortunately, mashed up salmon and white bean salad does not look good in pictures. Trust me, though, it’s delicious. I’ve been enjoying it for lunch on top of mixed greens with cherry tomatoes.

Next up, a mayonnaise alternative: The Ojai Cook Lemonaise.

The website describes it as “citrus mustard-mayonnaise” and true “gourmet mayo.” In addition to using this in my salmon and white bean salad, I have been loving this stuff on open-faced tomato sandwiches.

Open-faced heirloom tomato sandwich

I don’t think this will become a “pantry staple,” but it’s a nice occaisional treat, especially in the summer when flavored mayo can be put to good use on tomato salads, in potato salads, etc…

And last but not least, this week I decided to buy some fresh tuna to use in a Nicoise salad. I make these salads often, as they are the perfect hearty meal, yet still light and summery, plus I love the flavor combination! I often used canned tuna, as it is easier and more cost effective, but a week ago, my mom sent me a picture of her own Nicoise salad, featuring perfectly grilled ahi tuna.

Mom’s Nicoise Salad

Inspired by Mom’s gorgeous tuna, I just had to make my own fresh, seared tuna salad! I found some delicious marinated Gigante beans at the olive bar and decided to throw them in the mix, too. Egg, tuna, and beans–this was a protein packed salad!