11753676_10207284342410621_4767379378887385763_n

Tomato, Cucumber and Red Pepper Salad with Three Pepper Tomato Dressing

Three cheers for a creamy, delicious and healthy dressing that is dripping with summer sunshine. Say no thank you to processed unhealthy dressings made from soy and corn by-products, high-fat dairy by-products, numerous forms of sugar, gums, acids and preservatives.

 

Kristin Celeste Shroeger is the food writer, recipe developer and photographer behind The Intentional Minimalist website. The Intentional Minimalist encourages cooking in harmony with the seasons using sustainable whole foods and allergy friendly ingredients. By eating seasonally, we reap the benefits of good health through nutrition. Visit www.theintentionalminimalist.com.

Ingredients

  • Tomato
  • Cucumber
  • Red bell pepper
  • Shallot
  • Green onion
  • Basil
  • Wild ramp infused olive oil
  • Coconut vinegar
  • Ground pepper
  • Ground white pepper
  • Red peppercorns
  • Sea salt
  • Flake finishing salt

Directions

Wash and dry produce. Slice tomato in half and remove tomato pulp with a spoon. Place tomato pulp in a tall glass jar. Chop one cup of tomato flesh and place in a large glass bowl. Chop two cups of cucumber and place in the bowl. Trim away red pepper stem, pith and seeds. Chop one cup of red bell pepper and place in the bowl. Trim ends off of green onions, slice one half cup green onion greens and place in the bowl. Remove shallot top skin layer, trim shallot ends, slice one quarter cup shallot rings, separate rings and place the shallot rings in the glass bowl. Remove basil leaves from stems, thinly slice one cup of basil and reserve basil. Remove shallot top skin layer, trim shallot ends, chop one tablespoon shallot and add to the tall glass jar with the tomato pulp. Pour in three tablespoons wild ramp infused olive oil, two tablespoons coconut vinegar, one quarter teaspoon ground pepper, one quarter teaspoon ground white pepper, one quarter teaspoon red peppercorns and one eighth teaspoon fine sea salt. Blend the dressing with an immersion stick blender directly in the tall glass jar for ten seconds. Taste, adjust seasonings as desired and blend dressing for another ten seconds until rich and creamy. Gently fold sliced basil in salad. Plate one cup of salad per serving drizzled with two tablespoons of dressing. Serve salad sprinkled with a pinch of flake finishing salt.