Canada Day - Great Canadian Salad

CANADA  DAY is just a couple of weeks away.

Are you busy making plans for Canada Day and trying to figure out what you are going to eat?

Yes, I know you are.  Holidays always centre around food.

What's your must have dish for your Canada Day Celebration?  Do you include pulses in your famous salad? 

Tell us for a chance to win an Ipad mini or a $100 President's Choice gift card.  

Take the #PulsePledge this #CanadaDay

I took the #PulsePledge and created my own Great Warm Canadian B.L.T with Smoked Cheddar Salad (Bacon, Lentil, Tomato and Smoked Canadian Cheddar with a warm Maple vinaigrette on lettuce.  This really is a Canadian Salad that could be your Canada Day Lunch even.

It tastes great and is packed with things that make it a great addition to your BBQ fare.

Great Warm Canadian B.L.T. with Smoked Cheddar Salad

Here's my RECIPE:

1 small can of Lentils
2 whole lettuce leaves
1 garlic clove
1/2 pack of good smokey bacon.
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
6 cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. grainy mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt or to taste depending on your bacon.
1 tbsp red onion diced
1 small bunch of parsley chopped
pepper or pepper flakes to taste *optional


DIRECTIONS:

Open a small can of lentils and drain and set aside.  I used Eden Organic green lentils.

I wanted to make bacon cups but they didn't turn out as planned because I was in a hurry but basically cut a pack of bacon in half and fry or bake the strips of bacon until they are crispy.  Whatever method you prefer.  Sometimes I bake off a whole pack in the oven and use for other things.  Less mess on the stove and you don't have to flip it.
If you are baking save some of the bacon fat and if you are frying leave about a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan and drain off the rest.
In the frying pan with the bacon fat add a clove of garlic on medium heat and take it out when the garlic is golden brown and flavours the bacon fat and then add the drained lentils and add the chopped onions and the smoked paprika, salt,and pepper.  Stir to coat and mix the flavours.  Cook until the onions have softened about a minute or 2.  Add the vinegar, mustard, maple syrup and combine.  Add some the cherry tomatoes cut in half and toss until warmed and then add the parsley.

Place some lettuce on a plate.  I used Romaine but you could use iceberg or butter lettuce.  Add  the bacon strips or if you had more time than I did the bacon cups on top of the lettuce and then spoon the lentil mixture on top.  Sprinkle with more parsley and crumbled bacon and small diced smoked cheddar cheese.  I used St. Albert's Cheese from Ottawa, it's mild but has a great smokey flavour.

That's it... and eat.  You could also eat this salad cold if you reserve the lentil mixture separate from the lettuce and tomatoes.

NOW IT"S YOUR TURN!  Enter the Contest and show us your Great Canadian Salad - Take the #PulsePledge on Woodbox http://woobox.com/inhdq7  and and tag your photos on social media with the #CanadaDay hashtag so we can see them.  The contest closes July 4, 2016.

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What is Canadian Food?

When someone says let's go get some Italian Food you automatically think Pasta or something like that.   When they say let's get Japanese Food you think about Sushi.  When someone says Greek Food you think Souvlaki and Pita bread.    Has anyone ever said "Let's go get some Canadian Food?".

What is Canadian Food anyway?   How come we don't have Canadian Food Restaurants?  You see restaurants called Chinese Dynasty or the Friendly Greek or the Mad Italian.   Why hasn't someone opened a restaurant called the Great Canadian other than the Superstore grocery store?

Poutine from Smoke's Poutinerie

What do you think of when people say Canadian food?  Do you think of Poutine?

Do you think about Maple Syrup and Pancakes?  Or maybe with some fresh Ontario Strawberries.

Maple pancakes, strawberries and chocolate chips

What about Canadian Bacon? Why do they call it Canadian Bacon?  Don't they eat it anywhere else?

Canadian Bacon and Egg Muffin

How about some BC Salmon?

Salmon and roasted potatoes

I think Canadian food is all of these things and more.  Canadian Food is an amalgamation of food influences from around the world.  We have all these things and but we aren't locked into a particular style and taste of food.  This is where our diversity comes in.  From pancakes to Fish we have foods that 1st, 2nd and 3rd Generation Canadians love.  

My Canadian Food is food that is accessible and full of flavour with spice influences from around the Globe.   It is simple and complicated at the same time.   

Classic things are a Back Bacon sandwich at the St. Lawrence Market or Poutine in Quebec, Salmon in BC,  Fiddleheads, PEI potatoes, the list goes on and on.

We do have Canadian food but as in a lot of things that are Canadian we don't celebrate our own and promote a Canadian Food identity and take on other culture's identities as our own.

I would like to see Canadian Food become a food trend that influences other cultures around the world.  Make your Canadian Bacon and go forth and spread the Canadian Bacon love.

Start your own Canadian Food trend with your friends and family.

Happy Canada Day.   Enjoy some Canadian Food on Canada Day with your friends and family!