Summer Seasonal Recipe Roundup

If there’s ever a season to enjoy the abundance of fresh produce – summertime is it! It seems like every week I go into Ellwood Thompsons or visit my local farmers market and there are new fruits and veggies to try and I’m never at a loss for recipes this time of year. I truly love the practice seasonal eating and encouraging others to find ways to incorporate their CSA’s and local produce onto their daily plates. It’s a beautiful feeling of connection with the season and with the farms and gardens that nourish us – plus the more seasonally you eat, the more you can support your local farms! Below are some of my favorite seasonal recipes to incorporate the delicious and nutrient dense bounty that summer has to offer in some creative and simple ways!

• Rainbow Chard Spanakopita – Chard is my personal favorite green leafy veggie, and I’ve been making this chard spanakopita recipe for years and it never gets old!
• Chick Pea Pasta with Basil-Pea Pesto – a delicious, light and gluten free recipe to incorporate all those sugar snap peas and basil that fill up the garden in mid July!
• Vegan Cherry Almond Cream Pops – the perfect summer recipe to utilize all those sweet and tart cherries! These are deliciously cool and hit the spot on those upper 90 degree days.
• Mix & Match Veggie Quesadillas – I personally will never turn down a good taco or veggie quesadilla, and this is one of my favorite recipes for simple, always different summer Mexican dinners that utilizes all those jalapeños, avocados, cucumbers, sweet corn and tomatoes that are so abundant in the summer garden.
• Crispy Potatoes and Tomatoes** **– the ideal summer side to any meal or salad using seasonal potatoes, tomatoes, basil and arugula.
• Summer Butter Lettuce Salad with Peaches & Corn – Peaches are sweet enough and indulgent enough to be dessert, and when combine with summer corn this dish is absolutely delicious AND healthy. Includes fresh radish and chives too for an extra seasonal kick.
• Minted Baba Ghanoush (Roasted eggplant dip) – Got some eggplants and extra mint in the CSA basket this week? Blend them into this addictively delicious baba ghanoush recipe for a great snack that also freezes well for long term enjoyment.
• Roasted Strawberry Cottage Cheese Bowl – the easiest breakfast bowl featuring summer strawberries that’s easily adaptable to any summer fruit you have on hand.
• 5 Minute Summer Tomato Salad – if you’re swimming in tomatoes like I am right now, any and all tomato recipes are fair game to keep tomatoes exciting to continue eating after weeks and weeks and weeks of tomato bounty. I’ve been loving this recipe lately added to almost every meal of the day.

What are some of your favorite seasonal summer recipes or summer foods to enjoy this time of year? If you’re needing some inspiration, wander the produce section of Ellwood Thompson’s and ask, “What’s new today?” to learn about new seasonal items coming from our local farmers!