Cooking with fruits and vegetables that are in-season is so rewarding. A quick trip to your local produce stand will give you a plethora of ripe fruits and vegetables. Cooking with in-season fresh vegetables or fruits will bring bright flavors to your table. Your body will also reap the benefits of the vitamins and antioxidants found in the fresh produce. Here are a few summer vegetable recipes and summer fruit recipes that will guide you in the kitchen.
Squash and Zucchini
Summer harvest brings fresh summer squash and zucchini to us. Yellow squash and zucchini make a quick, savory side dish that can be parred with any protein. Baking squash is one of the easiest ways to enjoy this summer delight.
Read More »Ingredients:
2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Cut the ends off the yellow squash and zucchini. Slice them into ½” slices.
2. Toss the slices in a bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
3. Place the slices in a single layer on a pan lined with parchment paper.
4. Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded parmesan cheese over the squash.
5. Bake the squash at 400-degree F for about 15 minutes.
This summer squash is so flavorful, full of nutrients and incredibly fresh tasting. Eating squash in the summer is so beneficial and convenient. Enjoy this fresh summer vegetable tonight.
Green Beans
Green beans are a summer favorite. Choose fresh green beans that are firm to the touch. Green beans are excellent when sautéed. They keep their deep green flavor and have a slight crunch when you bite into them. Simply snap the pointy ends off the long green beans. Throw them in a sauté pan with olive oil, sesame oil, toasted-sliced almonds, minced garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper. These green beans will take your meal to the next level. Your meal will feel gourmet with sautéed green beans. It only takes 10-15 minutes to cook these green beans so you will have time make this summer vegetable recipe any night of the week.
Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Almonds
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds
Directions:
1. Wash and pat dry the green beans. Snap or cut the ends off.
2. Heat the oil in your sauté pan for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the green beans, garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper and almonds.
4. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the green beans are cooked to your liking. You can test the tenderness of the green beans with a fork.
5. Serve this delicious, crunchy fresh summer vegetable immediately.
Peppers
Peppers are another great vegetable that is readily available in the summer. Peppers come in red, yellow and green. These colors are so fun to bring to the table. Peppers can be added to vegetable salads, pasta salads and many other recipes. Peppers add color and their own distinct flavor to any dish.
Stuffed peppers are a great way to use the whole pepper and really showcase this summer vegetable. Ground beef, rice and cheese are blended with spices before being placed in the cavity of peppers. It is a one-dish healthy meal that is so flavorful and delicious.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers, a variety of colors is fun
1 pound ground beef
1 small yellow onion
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups of torn spinach
1 15 ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes with the juice
1 cup cooked brown rice
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions:
1. First, wash the peppers, trim the stem off the top and remove all the seeds. Rinse the peppers out to ensure that all the seeds have been removed. Pat the peppers dry with a paper towel.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13×9 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet on the stove. Add the herbs and spices.
4. Stir in the spinach and tomatoes.
5. Once the ground beef is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat. Add rice and part of the cheese.
6. Stir everything together.
7. Place the clean, halved peppers in a baking dish. Fill the peppers with the ground beef mixture.
8. Bake the stuffed peppers with a little extra cheese sprinkled on top. They should cook for 30-35 minutes.
There are many fruits that are ripe and ready to eat in the summer. Apples, strawberries and plums are some of the easiest fruits to find. Following are some recipes for these in-season fruits.
Apples
Apples are probably the most well-known fruit in the U.S. We love our apples. We often simply eat them raw. Apples are also a great addition to pies, cobblers and cakes.
Bloomin’ Grilled Apples are a delicious and healthy way to enjoy apples in the summer. This summer fruit recipe is quickly grilled in 15 minutes. All the flavor of the apple is seared by the heat of the grill. Sugar, cinnamon and pecans make this a delicious summer dessert. When you pull the apple off the grill, it unfolds into a beautiful bloom. Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream can be added to finish this delicious masterpiece.
Bloomin’ Grilled Apples
Ingredients:
4 apples
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar
½ cup caramel, plus some extra for drizzling
Directions:
1. Slice off the top ¼ of the apples. Cut out the core.
2. Flip the apple upside down and make narrow slits all the way around the apple. Don’t cut all the way through the bottom of the apple. The goal is to flip over the apple and have an open flower shape.
3. In a bowl, mix together the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar. Brush this mixture over the inside of the apples.
4. Fill the center of the apples with caramel and pecans.
5. Wrap the apples in aluminum foil and grill. In about 15 minutes the apples should be tender.
6. A scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra caramel drizzle over the top complete this summer fruit dessert.
Strawberries
Strawberries are at the top of the fresh summer fruit list. Strawberries are so delicious fresh or baked in a pie. Strawberry Ice Box cake is a no-bake dessert that is a breeze. Forget turning on your oven and making your whole house hot. Instead, cool off your summer day with this sweet treat that is ice cold. Fresh summer strawberries, graham crackers and whipped cream are the main ingredients in this simple summer fruit dessert.
Strawberry Ice Box Cake
Ingredients:
1 pound sliced strawberries
7.2 ounces graham crackers (about 1 ½ sleeves)
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
1. Beat the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
2. Spread a thin layer of the whipped cream on the bottom of a 13×9 pan.
3. Next put a layer of whole graham crackers on the whipped cream. Put another layer of whipped cream over the graham crackers. Next, place those fresh sliced strawberries on top of the whipped cream. Keep layering the graham crackers, whipped cream and finally top the dessert with strawberries.
4. Cover the dessert and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours before serving.
Plums
Plums are another fresh summer fruit that is easy to find at produce stands. Plums are a purple, soft, sweet fruit that you don’t have to peel. This sweet fruit is good in tarts and cakes.
Summer Plum Crostata
If you are looking for a tart that is elegant and unique, this dessert is for you. A tart is a lot like a pie. This particular tart has a thin, flaky crust. You pour the plums into the middle of the tart and roll the edges of the dough up around the plums to contain the fruit. This summer fruit recipe will make your summer party an elegant affair.
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 stick cold butter
¼ cup ice water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated orange zest
1 pound ripe plums
1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
Directions:
1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Then, add butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. A food processor works best to combine these ingredients into a coarse meal texture. Next, add a little bit of ice water until the dough begins to stick together.
2. Form the dough into a disc shape and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 mins.
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Roll the disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Then, place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough for 15 more minutes.
5. While the dough is chilling, mix together ¼ cup sugar and 2 extra tablespoons of sugar. Add the cornstarch, cinnamon and the orange zest.
6. Pit the plums. Cut them into eighths. Add the plums to the sugar mixture. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes so the sugar can dissolve.
7. Arrange the plum mixture on the dough disc. Leave enough room to roll up the edges just barley onto the plums.
8. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of sugar.
9. Bake for 50 minutes until the fruit is tender and the crostata is golden. Allow this summer fruit dessert to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Using fresh summer fruits and fresh summer vegetables in your recipes will bring more flavor into your life. The vibrance of fresh fruits and vegetables can be tasted in the dishes you make. Allow a little summer flavor into your home this week.
