There is nothing that says ‘summer’ more than hot corn on the cob, drenched in melted butter and seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. The next time you serve corn on the cob cook a few extra and use the leftovers to make this colourful and flavourful salad.

And who says bacon isn’t a low crap food? Find a butcher who sells slab bacon wrapped in paper, rather than plastic. You can then cut your own slices thick or thin, depending on the recipe. For this recipe cut the slices fairly thin so they cook up nice and crisp.

Ingredients
2 – 4 cooked corn on the cob
4 – 6 slices bacon
2 tomatoes
1 small or 1/2 big red onion
Handful of fresh basil
2 – 3 tbsp apple cider vingar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Cook bacon until crisp. Drain off the fat. Crumble into bite size bits.
2. Cut corn off the cob. This is best done with a serrated knife.
3. Dice tomatoes and onions.
4. Chop basil leaves.
5. Toss all prepared ingredients with cider vinegar.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. For maximum flavour, allow salad to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer prior to serving.

Jen’s Pickled Garlic Scapes are a great way to preserve fresh garlic scapes to enjoy throughout the winter. These get better the longer they sit.

Making pickles isn’t an exact science, and there is lots of room for experimenting. If you’ve never made pickles before, I suggest you do a little research to get familiar with the basics.

Ingredients
To make three, 1 quart jars or six 1/2 quart jars:
2 1/4 cups vinegar (more or less to taste)
3 1/4 cups water
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp pickling mix
Hot peppers (dried or fresh) if desired

Directions
1. Sterilize three 1 quart jars
2. Add lids to boiling water, take off boil but keep hot
3. Put 1 tbsp pickling spice mix (and 1 or 2 hot peppers) into each jar
4. Stuff each jar with washed and cut garlic scapes and carrot sticks
5. Heat vinegar, water, sugar and salt to boil
6. Fill each jar with the hot liquid, top with hot lid and screw on the ring
7. The lid should seal as the liquid cools. If it doesn’t seal, store in fridge or process the jars in a hot water bath.
8. Let sit in cool place for two weeks or longer

Garlic scapes are the curly stalks that develop on hard-necked variety of garlic plants. They are cut off when they start to curl to allow the developing bulb in the ground to grow bigger before harvest.

These edible stalks are tender, juicy and have an incredible garlic flavour that mellows with cooking.

Only available for a short period of time in late spring, it is rare to find fresh scapes in grocery stores. Look for them at farmer’s markets and fruit stands or plant your own.

This version of a pesto type spread is potent and a little goes a long ways. Since it makes approximately 2 cups, you can put half cup portions in the freezer for later use.

Use it on potatoes, rice, pasta and stir fry dishes; rub onto fish, chicken and veggies before grilling; also makes an unusual base sauce for pizza.

Almond & Garlic Scape Pasta is:
- Diabetic Friendly
- Detox Friendly
- Gluten Free
- High Fiber
- Vegan
- Vitamix Recipe

Ingredients
8 – 10 fresh garlic scapes
2/3 cup almonds, soaked and rinsed
1/2 – 3/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Directions
1. Soak almonds for a couple of hours or over night. Rinse and drain.
2. Wash and cut the garlic scapes into manageable pieces.
3. Put 1/2 cup of olive oil and all other ingredients in the Vitamix (or food processor)
4. Pulse the Vitamix, using the plunger to push the ingredients into the blades.
5. Blend until smooth, adding extra olive oil if required to create the desired consistency.
Can be stored in fridge for up to a month or frozen in small quantities.