Assiette de Crudités (Raw Vegie Plate)

I was trying to find a name in English for this salad and couldn't come up with one that conveyed the meaning of assiète de crudités. A plate of raw vegetables sounds somehow borring and uneventful while the French equivalent is a standard in French restaurants, showcasing the freshness of local produce for customers wanting a dish that is light in calories but big on flavor and nutrition. 


Vegetables abound in our garden this time of the year. It is an explosion of life force, colors, textures and scents (and also weeds!). What a blessings to take a trip in our backyard and bring back a mountain of fresh greens, tomatoes and wild herbs. It reminds us that the world is abundant, there is enough for everyone if we appreciate and respect nature. One of our favorite dish for a quick but satisfying lunch or dinner is to do a nice spread of fresh vegetables served with some warm bread and/or some form of vegetable protein. 


There are so many advantages to growing your food, one of them is that you don't have to worry about pesticides, herbicides and others nasty chemicals they are tipically dowsed with. A simple rinse and quick check for slugs is all that is required. They do love to nest in small folds, so you have to inspect the merchandise closely.
Some of the other pluses is that you get to take a walk, commune with the elements, thank Mother nature for the abundance she has blessed us with, take deep breaths, listen to the sounds, marvel at newly found treasures burried under deep foliage (a yound egplant, clumps of cherry tomatoes, a baby zucchini or a flower...) look up and watch the birds in the trees. Life is sweet when we take the time to count our blessings.


Ingredients: 
Tomatoes (roma, cherry, red, orange etc.)
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Kale (curley, Russian etc.)
Teese (vegan cheese)*
Fresh chives, basil leaves, 
Mint leaves
Dash of salt, 
Extra virgin olive oil 
Balsamic vinegar 
French bread or herb crackers
Any other vegetable you have on hand.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
The arrangement is really up to you.
I usually start by placing a few slices of lettuce, kale and any other wild greens I happen to find on the bottom of the plate.
Make thin slices of tomatoes, spreading them on the plate.
Sprinkle with a dash of find sea salt. Then sprinkle some balsamic vinegar over it, then a little extra virgin olive oil.
Slice some of the Teese mozarella vegan cheese.
Place a slice over each tomato slice.
Chop a few basil leaves and garnish over the slices.
That was the hardest part of this salad.
Peel the cucumbers if you don't like the skin and slice them.
I love to sprinkle them with some rice vinegar and a dash of salt. Mix well in a bowl.
Set on the plate next to the tomatoes.
Toast slices of French bread or just serve with crackers.
I love Wasa crackers, rosemary crackers... they have less calories and are packed with flavors.

Enjoy

Absolute Best Vegan Mozarella cheese!

* Teese has some of the most amazing vegan cheeses. They have a soft mozarella version that is moist, slices well, has a subtle flavor and makes the perfect replacement. One little package makes plenty of slices, depending on how thick you cut them, you can easily make 10 to 15. The price is comparable to the dairy version, without the calories, the hormones, the antibiotics, the fat and more importantly, the abject cruelty dairy cows are subjected to their whole lives. What's not to like, really!