Canada Day Recipes from the Garden

Canadian Bacon Skewers

Skewers are always a popular summer meal because you can put almost anything on them. Make them extra Canadian this Canada Day with patriotic colours (not to mention a hint of smoky bacon!) and show off your harvest of early cherry tomatoes.

Cherry Tomatoes (as many as you can pick!)

1 pack bacon (cut into 1-inch squares)

2 cartons mini bocconcini 

Fresh basil leaves (Optional)

Balsamic vinegar glaze (Optional)

Start loading up your skewers, tomato, bacon, bocconcini, bacon, tomato, etc. If you have some fresh basil, you can add that to your skewers as well. And, if you’re a fan of balsamic vinegar, you can drizzle each skewer with a balsamic vinegar glaze to finish. 

Grilled Kielbasa Potato Salad

Potato salad is a summer classic. Make it red & white for Canada Day with the addition of grilled red peppers, red onion, Gouda, and a delicious vinaigrette. If you’ve got a bumper crop of new potatoes, red peppers, asparagus, fennel, dill, or red onions to harvest, this dish can be a real showcase of your garden produce!

Vinaigrette

⅓ cup olive oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp grainy mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 minced clove of garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and set aside. You can mix the dressing the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight for even more vibrant flavours.

Salad

2 pounds of potatoes, chopped in bite-size chunks, cooked until just tender.

1 bunch of asparagus (ends trimmed)

1 bulb fennel (trimmed, cored, quartered)

1 red pepper, quartered

1 small red onion 

10 ounces kielbasa

3 ounces of smoked Gouda (chopped into cubes)

2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

As soon as your potatoes have finished cooking, toss with a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Separately, toss all the veggies with a bit of vinaigrette, and then grill until they’re tender and slightly charred. Grill the kielbasa for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through. 

Chop all your veggies and the kielbasa into bite-size chunks, and then toss in a bowl with the potatoes, Gouda, and the rest of the vinaigrette. This potato salad recipe can be served warm or cold.

Coconut & Strawberry Rhubarb Popsicles

What’s better than a refreshing popsicle on Canada Day? A homemade one, of course! These red & white popsicles are a hit, and the coconut milk mellows out the tartness of the rhubarb perfectly! This recipe makes enough for 10-12 large popsicles. If you don’t have a popsicle mould, simply freeze the mixture in dixie cups with reusable or traditional wooden popsicle sticks.

2 ¼ cup chopped rhubarb

1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup full fat coconut milk

Stew your rhubarb, strawberries, and maple syrup in a small pot. Start on medium heat, and reduce to low once simmering. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat and blend until pureed, then place in the fridge to cool.

For a clean, stunning Canadian-flag look, you can layer the popsicles, alternating fruit & coconut milk, and freeze between each layer. However, this approach takes quite a bit of time and is tricky with moulds that have plastic sticks with a wide base. Alternatively, you can fill the popsicle moulds with equal amounts of coconut milk and fruit puree, insert the sticks, and freeze just once. This will leave you with a marbled look that will still look great when served!

No-Bake Cheesecake with Strawberries or Raspberries

Cheesecake is delicious, but who wants to bake one in summer? Don’t worry; this no-bake cheesecake is super easy! Top this sweet, cool dessert with some fresh raspberries, strawberries, or even a rhubarb sauce to give it some Canadian flair! You can make your own graham crust, or pick up a prepared one from the store.

Crust:

½ cup melted butter

1 tbsp red food colouring (optional)

2 cups graham cracker crumbs.

Whisk crust ingredients together well. Line a 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to easily remove your cheesecake later. Press your graham crust mixture into the bottom of your pan.

Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese (250 grams)

⅔ cup white sugar

1 tub (1 litre) thawed whipped topping 

In a medium bowl, beat together sugar and cream cheese until smooth, and then mix in the whipped topping. Once the mixture is well-whipped, pour into the pan. Spread evenly, and then chill for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. Serve with your freshly-picked strawberries, raspberries, or make a rhubarb sauce to top it. 

Celebrate the birthday of our amazing country while showcasing the best of your garden with these delicious recipes! Happy Canada Day, from our team at Mother Nature.