On hot days like this, I’m especially glad for the treasures in my vegbox and the nice cool salads I can make. Today I made a favourite, the simple shredded carrot salad, which is such a winner of a salad. It couldn’t be more easy or more delicious. Here is what you do.

Either shred with a box grater or a food processor with a shredder attachment a bunch of carrots (maybe 500g) . Then make a dressing using the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp sugar or honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and a sprinkle of pepper. Whisk until combined, and adjust to taste if needed. Add a handful of chopped herbs (I used parsley and mint) and one chopped green onion. Toss with dressing and chill. Done and done.

For the other salad, I roasted a bunch of end of their lives cherry tomatoes with some garlic and bunch of olive oil, salt, and pepper on very high heat until they were blistering. Once done, I added basil, half a tin of white beans, and a bit more oil and let it all marinade overnight in the fridge. The next day, I made some giant couscous (orzo would also be nice, but any small pasta would do). Once cooked, I drained the pasta leaving a bit of pasta water and tossed the tomato/bean/oil mix into the warm pasta and added about a tablespoon of tomato paste and a tablespoon of lemon juice, adjusting to taste. I added a little Aleppo pepper and fresh parsley, and topped with some feta, but any non-dairy/dairy cheese would be nice, as well as some olives. Done and done!