In the summer time, you probably want to spend as little time as possible in a hot kitchen. And summer foods usually include more fruits, veggies, and citrus. You know me…any excuse to use lemons! If you’re looking for some inspiration that won’t keep you chained to your stove all summer long, then watch our VIDEO: 7 Fresh and Easy Summer Recipe Ideas, to hear more about why you need to make them today!
1. Summer Veggie Spaghetti
This is my friend’s favorite easy recipes of mine. She has a garden, so she usually can whip this up anytime she wants. You use thin ribbons of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, lemon, and feta cheese. This dish is vegetarian, but so hearty, flavorful, and fresh that even meat lovers are satisfied. You can use Parmesan cheese instead of the feta, and shaved summer squash or ribbons of asparagus instead of the zucchini
2. Watermelon + Lime Granita
All you need are 3 ingredients for this refreshing treat. Summer time means watermelon and lots of it. This is just a 10x way to eat it. You’ll need a blender and some patience, but you don’t worry, because you don’t have to stay in the kitchen long. You scrape and freeze, then scrape and freeze. Do this when you’re already busy around the house and have a little time on your hands. The result is somewhere between a slushy and a snow cone. The lime really makes the watermelon flavor pop. I use a melon baller to scoop out some actual pieces of fresh watermelon into the cups when serving. The combination of textures and flavor are amazing.
3. Shrimp and Avocado Summer Rolls
This is hands-down my most popular recipe on YouTube, with over half a million views! The irony is that I never expected this to happen. We filmed this when we were also busy painting our wall, and it was really hot that day. I couldn’t see myself hovering over the stove for long. So I made these with the ingredients I had on hand, and out came my most popular recipe! Ironic, how that happens right? I make it with a peanut dipping sauce that has a bright burst of lime. I get comments on these year round, but especially during the summer time, this recipe goes nuts.
4. Classic Broccoli Salad
I made this broccoli salad based off of something I had at a popular salad bar restaurant. The best part is that you don’t have to cook the broccoli first! Once the raw broccoli gets tossed in the tangy dressing, it softens a bit and becomes easier to eat. You toss in some dried cranberries, cashews, and bacon, cuz bacon makes everything better. This goes well with anything you’d have on a picnic table, and you can also prep everything in advance. Just toss the ingredients in the dressing before serving.
5. Marinated Flank Steak with Corn, Asparagus, and Tomato Salad
I bust out my grill pan for this. I grill my corn and asparagus first, and then move onto my steak. I love flank steak because of the natural beefy flavor and because it’s easy to cook. It also stretches when you need to feed a crowd. You marinate it in red wine, mustard and brown sugar. The flavor is robust and intense. Served with this medley of charred vegetables, tossed together as a salad, you don’t need much of anything else. Add fresh basil and it’s all the flavors of summer you’d want on one plate.
6. Asian Lettuce Wraps
I use ground chicken, but you could use ground turkey too. The sauce is simply made with hoisin sauce, Sriracha, and lime. You can also try adding chopped water chestnuts like they do in restaurants. Use a variety of vegetables of your choice as garnish. Try jalapenos, radish, sprouts and cilantro. My pro-tip is to add julienned green apple! That tart sweetness and crunch adds a wow factor. Use any lettuce you want, such as romaine, Bibb, or iceberg.
7. Chocolate Overnight Oats
I tend to make this a lot during the summertime because there is no cooking involved. In fact, you can have a hearty breakfast ready for you in the morning by preparing the night before. To make the oats, I use chia seeds, almond milk, and Greek yogurt. The texture becomes more like a pudding than an oatmeal. Top it with any kind of fresh fruit of your choice. I usually prefer strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. Putting it in a cute mason jar is extra rewarding and makes it perfect to take on the go.
I had a hard time picking out what I was going to include in my line up because I wanted to post a lot more, like my
Korean Spicy Kimchi Noodles,
Tuna Poke,
or No bake Nutella Cheesecakes,
but I didn’t want this video and lineup to be too long, so definitely go back and watch those, and I’ll leave those links down below as well. If you enjoyed this summer roundup, go back and watch my previous roundup, 9 Asian-Inspired Recipes to Make While Sheltering in Place.
Something I find really helpful when making sure you get every drop of juice out of a lemon is a lemon squeezer like this one. This one works for both lemons and limes and comes highly rated, so I recommend it as part of my tool kit. It will make sure you get the most bang for your buck with each lemon, and you don’t have to worry about picking out any pesky seeds. Another tool I mention is this vegetable peeler. It’s super sharp and reliable while remaining affordable. It will help you make those perfect zucchini ribbons, but you can also use it to make shavings of Parmesan cheese. By the way, these products are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you do end up purchasing this product at no extra cost to you. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have about these products.
