Summer is one of my favorite times of the year for food because it gives you an extra challenge. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, hosting a gigantic barbeque, or just entertaining a few friends, you have to figure out a way to concoct delicious treats that won’t leave you feeling hot, tired, and sluggish. Even though it may seem difficult to find something delectable, filling, and light, it can be a fun time for recipe experimentation. Take this as your opportunity to exploit the season! Summer farmer’s markets can be the best inspiration for the perfect recipes: your meals, snacks, and desserts will automatically be elevated by the array of available crisp vegetables and fresh fruit.
Snacks
Smoothies: Smoothies are a great summer snack because they are cold, refreshing, and can be made as light or as filling as you desire! To kick start your morning, you can blend a cup of coffee, some vanilla yogurt, a banana, and ice. For a poolside treat, you can combine one sliced peach, a cup of vanilla yogurt, half of a banana, half a cup of orange juice, and ice. Or just get creative – throw whatever fruit you have in a blender and see what happens!
Iced Tea: Sometimes you’re really not hungry, but it’s so hot that you need something cold and refreshing. Fresh-brewed ice tea is one of the simplest guilt-free summer treats. Brew a pot of very strong tea, and as it comes down to room temperature, pour it over ice. For something simple, just add lemons and sugar to taste. If you want to get fancy, add fruit such as peaches, strawberries, or raspberries. You could even make a simple syrup to combine with the tea. To do so, boil 8 cups of water and 2/3 cups of sugar, stirring until dissolved. After you remove the mixture from the heat, add your fruit of choice, and mix until combined. Strain the mixture, and you’re left with a simple syrup to add to your unsweetened iced tea!
Dinners:
Taco Salad: This is a great way to incorporate fresh, local ingredients for a filling meal that will satisfy everyone and can meld well with the theme of any summer party. I usually start by cooking a pound or so of ground beef with some garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and whatever other spices I can find. You can also use pre-made taco seasoning, if you prefer. Then chop up a bunch of vegetables – I prefer iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, English cucumbers, and red peppers. Place all of the ingredients in individual bowls so your diners can pick and choose what they want. Put out some shredded cheese and condiments to top off a crowd-pleasing meal.
Salmon with Spaghetti Squash: Dress a few filets of salmon with pesto sauce. Throw them in the oven until they’re a vibrant pink. Cook the spaghetti squash separately – using the microwave is the easiest and quickest to get this done! Then scoop out the cooked squash and add it to a skillet over low heat. Stir in some extra pesto sauce until creamy and mix in some fresh, diced tomatoes. You’ll have a light, summery meal that tastes delicious and refined!
Desserts
Now, I love chocolate as much as (or arguably a lot more than) the next girl, but summer is just one time of the year when rich, decadent desserts lose their appeal. In the hot summer months I love nothing more than light, refreshing, fruity desserts. Both of these recipes are tricks that I learned from my grandfather. They take little preparation and use simple ingredients.
Strawberries with Milk & Sugar: It is as easy as it sounds. Chill however many strawberries you’d like (and trust me, you’ll probably want a lot of them). Then slice them, sprinkle lightly with sugar, and place them in a small bowl of milk. Just a few seconds of preparation and you have a creamy, healthy dessert for yourself or your company.
Peaches in Wine: For those you over age 21 who are looking for a big-kid fruity dessert, it can’t get much simpler than this. Pour a glass of your favorite red wine, slice up one whole peach, and submerge the slices in the wine. Repeat as many times as necessary. When you are done prepping the glasses, place each in the refrigerator for at least an hour so the peaches can absorb the wine. When you are done, remove the peaches and the wine that’s leftover can be reused.