holiday beach picnics: roasted tomato pasta salad

This weekend was all about relaxation, fun times, good food and great friends. Holiday weekends, you are perfect! Cornelius and I missed out on the largest Critical Mass bike ride because we had free tickets to see the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team play. Despite not knowing anything about soccer, it was good times all ’round and the bbq hot dogs and icy cold beers didn’t hurt either. Canada Day was pretty much spent at a friend’s house party where we played Pit (“Corner on wheat!”) on the lawn and ate vegan curry. Sunday we gathered with a group of friends and had a bbq picnic out on the beach where we grilled up veggie dogs & meaty sausages, drank margaritas & strawberry-pinapple daiquiris. Hello, summer!

Besides making the stealth daiquiris, I also made a delicious pasta salad and promised to post the recipe on this ol’ blog. It was that good. The roasted tomatoes are the key to success for this salad. They add such a sweetness and a lovely smokey flavour that can’t be beat. If I could eat roasted tomatoes all day, I most certainly would. The day before I had made a similar salad, but added grated parmesan cheese to the dressing and chunks of boccocini to the salad. But this was a salad for mixed company (ie. vegans!) and I left out all dairy. The picture above also includes some blanched cauliflower which I didn’t add to the picnic salad because I had run out…but if you’ve got some, add it. It was tasty too!

8 comments to “holiday beach picnics: roasted tomato pasta salad”

  1. 1
    Lilli in Vancouver   July 3, 2006 at 12:31 pm

    Yum, yum! Did you actually use Vidalia onions? I would dearly love to know who’s carrying them right now. I haven’t had any in years!

    (I’m in Vancouver, BTW)

  2. 2
    kickpleat   July 3, 2006 at 12:35 pm

    lilli, i found them at the santa barbara market on commercial.

  3. 3
    eviedee   July 3, 2006 at 2:54 pm

    What a fantastic looking salad! I have been looking for something full flavored yet portable to take to the Hollywood Bowl this Thursay. This salad looks like just the ticket! Thanks for sharing it!

  4. 4
    Marilyn   July 3, 2006 at 3:23 pm

    Looks like a tasty salad. I also scrolled down and read your post on waffles. Yum. One day, I will frivolously purchase a waffle iron and make my own, too.

  5. 5
    Canada Eats   July 3, 2006 at 3:40 pm

    Hi, do you have an email address? I’m trying to reach Canadian food bloggers regarding a new food site, Canada Eats. You can reach me via my site (canada-eats.com).

    Cheers.

  6. 6
    kickpleat   July 4, 2006 at 8:50 am

    eviedee, it’s a perfect salad to take away! enjoy.

    marilyn, it’s a totally great salad and the waffles are so worth it. be frivolous and purchase one, or better yet, try to receive one as a gift!

    canada-eats, i’ll check out your site.

  7. 7
    Ivonne   July 4, 2006 at 10:12 am

    Fabulous salad, Kickpleat!

    And wouldn’t you know it I have some tomatoes in my garden (cherry) that are just beginning to ripen!

  8. 8
    Darlaing   July 5, 2006 at 8:49 am

    Oh this looks great! Perfect for all the neglected veggies in my kitchen too. And yes, it’s crazy you’ve never had poundcake. You should go out and find yourself a piece right away. I try not to think about all the butter and eggs, otherwise I’d be discouraged too! 🙂 Focus on the texture instead, and it’s the best for strawberry shortcakes!

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