05 Aug My Favorite Summer Recipes

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a bit of a farmer’s market addict. I just love everything about the experience. You get to choose from an assortment of locally-grown seasonal fresh-picked produce, and you may even get the meet the farmer responsible for that food. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Another benefit to buying freshly-picked seasonal produce is that it’s easy on the pocketbook. Whether you’re buying from a farmer’s market or the local grocery store, seasonal produce is almost always cheaper. But if you’ve ever gone crazy at the farmer’s market, you know it can be a challenge to figure out what to make with all that seasonal goodness. Here are some of my favorite recipe ideas.

Watermelon Apricot Sangria – This recipe combines two seasonal fruits into one yummy cocktail. Red wine may have some heart-healthy benefits, but as with all cocktails, it’s best to enjoy this one in moderation.

Ingredients:

½ seeded watermelon cut into 2-inch cubes

3 apricots, pitted and halved

2 cups of strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced.

2 bottles of your favorite red wine, chilled

Combine all ingredients into a pitcher and chill for about two hours before serving. This will make about 8 to 10 servings.

Zucchini “Pasta” – I love this recipe because it’s raw, fresh and tasty! You will need a spiral slicer for this one, though.

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, peeled

1 cup of fresh pesto (see recipe below)

First, you’ll need to create the “pasta” by running the spiral slicer down the vertical edge of the peeled zucchini. Some spiral slicers work a bit differently, so follow the instructions you were given. Then, just toss your zucchini pasta with the pesto.

Slow Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes – This is a super-easy side dish that my whole family loves. In fact, it goes rather well alongside zucchini pasta. Just add your protein of choice to make it a meal.

Ingredients:

6 tomatoes, sliced horizontally

¼ cup of olive oil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Lay the tomato halves cut-side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and basil. Roast “slow and low” in a 300 degree oven for about three hours.

Corn and Black Bean Salad – This is my go-to recipe to bring when I’ve been invited to a barbecue. It’s tasty, quick and travels well.

Ingredients:

Kernels from 4 ears of corn

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

4 oz. of premade salsa (make it in advance or buy it)

1 red onion, finely chopped

½ cup of chopped cilantro (can substitute parsley)

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into one bowl, chill for about two hours and serve.