5 Summer Dishes You’ll Want to Add to Your Routine

Prep these dishes this summer that are delicious, fresh, and don’t require using the oven.

Hearty summer salad. Mix garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), tomatoes, avocado, hearts of palm, and quinoa with a maple Dijon vinaigrette (Dijon mustard, maple syrup, good extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, splash of apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper), or your favorite type of dressing. If you want more protein, add shredded chicken or grilled steak.

Shrimp and corn salad. Buy pre-cooked shrimp, either refrigerated or frozen. If frozen, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. Mix 1 pound of shrimp with 1 bag of frozen or 1/2 pound of fresh corn. Add diced green onions, cotija or grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, pinch of salt or seasoned salt, and a dash of paprika (if you have it). Incorporate all ingredients. Place in fridge in a sealed container until ready to enjoy. Serve atop some French bread or baguette slices, fold into tortillas, or add to a bed of green lettuce for a lighter serving.

Charcuterie-style meal. Why not make this appetizer more of a meal since it’s already pretty hearty? Think fresh vegetables, like celery sticks, cucumber slices or snap peas with a hummus dip; fresh fruit like cherries, grapes or stone fruits (peaches, apricots, etc.); meats, like salami or even smoked salmon or trout; cheeses, like one spreadable cheese and one hard cheese; crackers or baguette slices on the side. This could be a fun way to eat a casual meal with the family or with friends outside. I love using these mini tongs so that everyone can use a pair to grab their own foods from the board in stead of using their fingers. You can even have fun with the presentation! Check out my Instagram for charcuterie inspiration @getawaygourmet_

Pea Pesto pasta salad. This salad uses a pesto-like sauce using peas. It’s a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables without them knowing it, and it lends a sweeter flavor versus the typical basil pesto flavor. Just use a food processor or blender to blend thawed peas, garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, spinach, salt, pepper. Add to favorite pasta…I like Farfalle, or bow tie pasta for this one.

Homemade fruit popsicles & slushies. If you own a juicer, the sky’s the limit. You can juice practically any fruit and then pour into a popsicle mold, like these ones on Amazon. If you don’t own a juicer, you can buy pure fruit juices and put real fruit and berries inside them for color and effect, and extra nutrition. I own this juicer and really like it so far.

Or, you can make summer slushies by buying frozen fruit and blending with a small amount of water to create a slushie effect that’s going to be much healthier than anything you buy from a store. For extra flair and indulgence, you can add some whipped cream on top (see picture & recipe below).

For more recipes, check out my blog or Instagram page at getawaygourmet.biz or @getawaygourmet_