May I say that I’m glad this summer’s coming to an end? We’re expected to get more rain over the weekend than we’ve gotten all summer long. It’s a relief. Drought doesn’t look good on Vancouver. At any rate, autumn is harvest time, so there’s a lot to celebrate. I’m looking forward to cooking with squash and root vegetables again.
In between bouts of languishing in the heat this month, I managed a couple of warm-weather dishes for August’s Cottage Cooking Club.
Tomatoes with Thai Dressing
I made these at the same time I made Tomatoes with Herbs. It’s hard to know which of these was my favourite. I just know that both are lovely ways to celebrate summer tomatoes. This version, with its Thai flavour profile, would make a nice addition to a rice or noodle bowl, or a side for a coconut curry.
Summer Garden Lentils Niçoise
I learned to love French green lentils while participating in French Fridays with Dorie. There wasn’t much learning to do, to be honest, as I fell in love with them immediately. I use proper lentilles du Puy on occasion, but the Canada-grown French green lentils that I can buy at my local food co-op are organic and delicious. They’re what I use regularly. Is it wrong to say that I don’t notice the difference? Please don’t tell France.
Okay, so I’m not totally over summer. I’m happy to eat my way through the abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, beet greens, peppers, and everything else that’s on offer right now. Really, I’m just glad it’s finally raining.
Here are the links to the rest of the group’s posts for this month. I encourage you to check them out – you’ll meet some wonderful bloggers and get some great inspiration for vegetarian eating.
One Wet Foot 
Hello Teresa, happy you enjoyed your tomato and lentil dishes for the month. On a side note, your sunflowers look lovely. We’ve had a rather cool August in the Philadelphia area, reminding me to savor each and every tomato, the easily clipped basil right off my deck, and the delicious sweet corn growing at a near by farm. It has been so busy, despite maximizing the best I can, and still remaining so many dishes I had hoped to prepare. Ah well, as I said to Cheri, the seasons will come as they will. See you soon.
Hi Teresa, your sunflowers are beautiful, love how they can brighten up any room. Your summer lentils dish looks delicious and is displayed so beautifully. Lentils are my favorite but I have been making so many this summer my husband has gone on strike, Fun month.
Teresa, your dishes look delicious! I’m jealous about the lentils – like you, FFWD made me a convert! I liked the tomatoes, though would probably change it a little – then again, fresh picked tomatoes are hard to beat! Love your sunflowers!! Hope you get to enjoy some rain! XOX
Teresa, so very glad to see that you enjoyed both dishes that you prepared. The tomatoes with the Thai dressing seem to have been an overall success and we loved them as well. And you are so right about using those organic and delicious Canadian lentils – I also use a lot of lentils from around here and only sometimes do I go for the Le Puy lentils which I find keep their shape better in salads. Hope that the summer weather will be easier on you in the coming days and have a great Sunday!
Say “Hi” to Kevin!
Andrea
I love the idea of the Thai tomatoes and your proposed pairings for them – that would be a lovely summer weekend dinner!
Gorgeous photos, Teresa! The tomatoes look delectable and I agree that both are great “recipes.” I also love the composition in the lentils photo. So pretty with those contrast between dark green-ish brown lentils, green beans, and bright red tomatoes. (I think I’m hungry right now as it all looks really, really delicious!) For the rain, will you please send some along down here? Pretty please? Everything is not just brown–which is normal this time of year in these parts–but pretty much black. Sigh. Well, I didn’t mean to end this comment on a downer note, so I’ll just say I loved your photo of the rain on FB and I pretended like I could smell it; I’m living vicariously! 😉
Lovely picture of the sunflowers! I enjoyed the Thai tomatoes too. Lentilles du Puy are hard to source where I am, so seldom choose recipes featuring them!
Teresa, I have been enjoying all your posts this summer and apologize for not commenting on every single one. Since my forest rangering leaves me exhausted by nightfall (I am not a young woman), I don’t have the staying-power in the evening to grab my computer and get to work. Still I read your content, enjoy it because I enjoy you, and have even managed to post every other week in July and August. It’s now September and I will be posting weekly and commenting on your posts weekly – promise. Like you I developed Lentil Love when I was cooking with Dorie. Really, every French-inspired chef who has written a cookbook has delicious lentil recipes. Your Summer Garden Lentils Niçoise looks delicious as well as beautiful. Loved mine with honey-roasted tomatoes. Your tomatoes look yummy. Honestly, it’s difficult to take a bad photo of tomatoes. Happy Autumn. I love the Fall also.
I hope as I’m writing this, you’re in the midst of a downpour. Drought doesn’t look good anywhere but your sunflowers are gorgeous! As is the photo of the tomatoes. I think I had very specific expectations with that dish so didn’t enjoy it that much but I’m glad you did. I, too, use the Canadian-grown French green lentils (and can’t tell the difference!). I’m looking forward to what next month brings.
Love your sunflowers! I used to grow them all the time. For some reason, have not been successful at the home we are in now. I too am looking forward to fall weather. Hoping for rain as well – and lots of it! Things don’t look just dry, but “dead” dry. (I’m in CA). I made the tomatoes as well, didn’t care for them, wish I had made the tomatoes and herbs (almost did in error!) instead. Hope you get the rain you’re wishing for!