The Perfect Danforth Lunch

The Danforth is a place that is as diverse as it is charming—and nowhere is this as evident as in its restaurants. Counting the number of delicious, international cuisine options along our neighbourhood’s bustling streets would require a lot of fingers—and stomach space. And while finding a recipe that would combine all of these cuisines proved impossible, we have managed to test—and approve—a lunch inspired by the Danforth’s Greek, Italian, and Canadian influences. What are you waiting for? Take advantage of the long summer days and head to your local farmer’s market to stock up on these ingredients.

Summer Salad with Greek Dressing

Greek(ish) Salad
Prep Time: 15 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 head of romaine lettuce
½ cup of cherry tomatoes
½ a green pepper
½ a red pepper
½ a cucumber
1 tablespoon of feta cheese (optional)

1. Wash and tear the lettuce into bite-sized chunks and place them in a salad bowl.
2. Chop up the peppers and cucumber according to personal preference and add them to bowl.
3. Slice the tomatoes in half and throw them into bowl before serving the salad.
4. Optional: Crumble feta cheese over the salad.

Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
½ tsp of sugar
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1 tbsp of fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste

1. Add all ingredients together and shake well. 
2. Pour over salad just before serving.

This dressing can be pre-made and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Prep Time: 30 mins
Serves: 12

Ingredients:
12-pack dinner rolls
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 jar marinara sauce
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
½ tsp garlic powder
½ cup butter, melted
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Add marinara sauce and half of the parmesan cheese to chicken in a pot. Stir until simmering.
3. Add a slice of cheese to the inside of the dinner rolls and scoop 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture into roll.
4. Mix butter, garlic powder, and remaining parmesan cheese together, and brush top of roll with mixture.
5. Bake rolls for 15-20 mins or until the tops are golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan to serve.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Caramel Cookies with Ice Cream

Prep Time: 1 hour
Makes: 20 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 ½ cups toffee bits

1. Beat together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy.
2. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Whisk in flour, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture. Add the rolled oats, chocolate and toffee pieces.
4. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, place cookies on a greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and flatten with fork.
5. Bake in oven at 350°F for around 8 to 10 minutes or until edges become golden brown. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.
6. Serve with your favourite ice cream.

Amanda is the marketing coordinator for On The Danforth. She despises talking about herself. Her messy bedroom is the only room she hasn’t managed to escape from, despite being an escape room champion. Amanda currently resides in the village of Waterdown with her family and budgie Ollie, whom she still loves, even though he puts seeds all over her floor.

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Mandy lives in Whitby, Ontario but took her undergraduate degree in Ottawa at Carleton University. There, she joined the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Mandy can usually be found gathering books for her never-ending collection, alternately, figuring out which book to read next before going back to the bookstore to find “the perfect fit!”