I frequent the farmers’ market as if it’s my church — every Sunday. And every week in the summer, I bring home as many colourful heirloom tomatoes as I can carry. It would be sacrilege to cover up their beauty with a complicated recipe. Instead, I use simple yet unexpected ingredients – lime juice, sesame oil and a toasted seed topping – to highlight their vibrant flavours. –Jeanine Donofrio

A white plate with an avocado, tomato and grain salad

Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salad

Jeanine Donofrio's easy summer salad recipe, with heirloom tomatoes, avocado and roasted seeds.

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Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Canadian

Ingredients

2 tbsp pepitas
2 tbsp raw hulled sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp tamari
2 lbs colourful heirloom tomatoes sliced
1 avocado thinly sliced
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
pinch flaky sea salt
microgreens for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the pepitas, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds on the baking sheet, toss with the tamari, and spread evenly on the baking sheet.
Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and toasty.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes to allow the seeds to crisp up.
Arrange the tomatoes on a large platter in a single layer, overlapping only slightly.
Top with the avocado slices and scallions and drizzle with the lime juice and sesame oil. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, the seed topping and microgreens.