Bring on the Veggies: Summer Produce Edition (Week 18)
Well well well, look what we have here! Prime summer produce season has arrived. And that means it’s time to load our plate with veggies and and make those plates extra-colorful. We are fortunate to have wonderful produce sources nearby (including Seth’s parent’s glorious garden) so we’re never without very fresh greens, tomatoes, and much more.
Of course, we still need protein (as any good dinner should have), but this time of year we really try to beef-up (pun-intended) our meals with the freshest produce around.
As you will notice in the weeks to come, this mindset lasts for a while so you will see an abundance of veggie-focused meals. Not to mention we’re trying to be a bit healthier. Cookies and fries? I’ll see you soon! Probably on my birthday. ;)
So, would you like to know what we’ve been cooking? It’s all delicious and I have linked recipes when possible. Stay tuned - more of our original recipes are coming!
Pan-Fried Panko-Crusted Cod and Grilled Zucchini
Summer is when I crave fried fish the most and our recipe for panko-crusted cod is simply divine. Yes, you can go and get takeout fried fish, but honestly? I love cooking and having it at home, at our dinner table. The recipe is quite simple so I’d recommend clicking the link above. ;)
The breading (gluten free panko) gets perfectly crispy and the fish is flaky and beyond delicious. If cod is not available, you could substitute with haddock or another white fish, but I think cod is my favorite. We paired our fish with seasonal zucchini (any summer veggie will do) as well as homemade coleslaw. How summer-perfect is that? Yum. I could eat this dinner every, single, night.
Healthy Homemade Chicken Nuggets and Salad
Recipe for chicken nuggets by All the Healthy Things found here.
Looking for an excuse to have chicken nuggets for dinner? Same. I’m so glad I found this awesome recipe for really delicious, really easy-to-prepare chicken nuggets that are already gluten free! And to make it a complete meal, we combined them with a very basic salad. How great is that?
Yes, we could have served these nuggets with a heartier side, but we’re keeping it healthy with a salad this time around. For this particular one, we tossed together greens, cucumbers, and avocado, and then made a quick honey-mustard vinaigrette from scratch. Perfect!
Summer Squash, Tomato, Basil, and Turkey Penne
Original Recipe. Would you like to see it? Let me know!
This meal bursts with summer flavors and can be adapted for whichever veggies you have available. I do think the tomatoes and basil are key, but it would be equally awesome with zucchini, peppers, or eggplant. We chose to include ground turkey for protein, but you could skip it for an entirely vegetarian dish. The taste of summer, with pasta, is all in one bowl.
String Beans with Pork, Ginger and Red Chile
Recipe available in Small Victories by Julia Turshen.
One of our favorite dinners that really packs a punch, this meal is super-quick and supremely delicious. Feel free to adjust the spice-level as needed or swap out the pork for a different meat. However, I think it’s stellar as is. It really is better than a takeout version.
Serve this dish with rice for a “fuller” meal or skip it to keep things low-carb and grain-free. Alternatively, this meal could be an awesome option as part of a larger, multi-course meal. “Takeout theme” dinner party (someday) sounds fun to me!
Shrimp Scampi Salad
Original Recipe - use the shrimp scampi recipe found here.
We took the most flavorful part of our favorite pizza and turned it into a salad! Looking to keep things lighter and healthier, but without skimping on flavor? Look no further than this delicious shrimp scampi salad.
It’s naturally gluten free and packed with all the veggies such as garden-fresh cucumbers, plum tomato, and greens. We sprinkled in Parmesan, but adding in shredded mozzarella would be even more decadent. ;)
Enjoy!
