Italian Tomato Salad

Growing up, we often had fresh tomatoes in the summer from our own backyard garden or someone else’s garden nearby.

My mom would make this refreshing Italian tomato salad to go with a loaf of fresh (gluten-free) bread for a quick lunch. Buon appetito!


Ingredients

  • 2-3 heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, chopped up
  • 1/4 onion (or 2 green onions), chopped up
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp dry oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl.

Ideally, let it sit for 10 minutes to get all the flavors mixing together.

Serve your Italian tomato salad with fresh bread – gluten-free if you like. Enjoy a taste of Italy!


Inspiration

For today’s inspiration, here is the fourth mindfulness training from Plum Village:

Loving Speech and Deep Listening

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.

May you find your way out of suffering with these loving words.

Chef Maitri Carmichael brings a creative and peaceful energy to every plate. She grew up in Toronto with a British Grandma and an Italian Nonna who showed their love through food, then she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years, spending her free time at community farms and zen kitchens. Originally a scientist and biotech entrepreneur, she graduated from the Vegan Chef School in London (2021) and the Raw Food Culinary Academy in Vancouver (2023), and is now settled in Hawaii.

2 responses to “Italian Tomato Salad”

  1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
    maitricookswithlove

    My favorite summer lunch! 🙂

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