Summer

What to Cook for Labor Day

September 1, 2021 by Lindsay 1 Comment

We all know that Labor Day is in September, right? The year is flying. We say it every year.

But! It's almost the start of a long weekend, and I feel like no long weekend is complete without some great food plans.

Whether you're going to a big gathering or staying home, here are some ideas for what to cook this weekend! Some are for sunny, hot days, some are for chillier evenings, some are for if you're already planted on the couch obsessing over football and your Fantasy stats. Labor Day Recipes for all activities!

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Pesto Rice

August 25, 2021 by Lindsay 7 Comments

Easy pesto rice is the perfect weeknight side dish for summer! Gluten free, buttery, and absolutely delicious. I love making this with store-bought or homemade pesto for a fun addition to plain white rice that is delicious with cast iron skillet salmon and broiled asparagus!

side view pesto rice with basil leave and pine nuts in blue bowl

Let us say hello to our favorite 30 minute summer side dish for dinner! Pesto rice. Which is, in fact, exactly what it sounds like: steamy white rice flavored with basil pesto, aka SUMMER RICE.

Let's make summer rice a thing. With butter.

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Vegan Potato Salad

July 27, 2021 by Lindsay 6 Comments

This vegan potato salad with no mayo is a super easy summer side dish that comes together with just a few ingredients! It tastes just like salt and vinegar potato chips, has tons of fresh herbs, and can be served warm or at room temp. I love it with cast iron skillet salmon for a delicious weeknight dinner, or as a summer potluck side dish offering.

Hello, hello flavors of middle school chip dreams wrapped up in some adult ingredients.

LOOK! It's a no mayo potato salad!

Listen, I love super fatty, carby side dishes in the summer. Seriously. A lot. BUT, I'm also into dishes that can feed a variety of dishes and are light enough that we can Eat All The Things and not feel uncomfortably full.

Like this vegan potato salad! This is one of those side dishes that goes with ANYTHING all summer, and the flavor combo is riiiight in the middle of salt and vinegar and sour cream and onion potato chips, aka heaven.

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Corn Risotto with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

July 14, 2021 by Lindsay 1 Comment

Super easy corn risotto recipe that is perfect for using up summer produce! This version features roasted cherry tomatoes that get a little charred, a lot sweet, and are the perfect topping. This is a vegetarian and gluten free main dish or side option. Pair it with some cast iron skillet salmon for a yummy gluten free pescatarian dinner.

bowl of corn risotto topped with tomatoes on blue napkin

Because everything should have corn and tomatoes in it right now, you know? It's true.

Where we are, produce is so perfect this time of year, zucchini and squash and herbs and corn just everywhere. This corn risotto cozy from the creamy rice and fresh with corn and tomatoes that are amazing right now.

I love this recipe for summer, but it's for sure delicious year round with frozen corn and storebought cherry tomatoes. It's also really nice for late summer when the produce is still there but the temperatures mercifully dip a little bit.

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Vegan Tabouli Salad

July 6, 2021 by Lindsay 5 Comments

Delicious, easy vegan tabouli salad with marinated chickpeas that is the perfect light lunch! We serve this often as a side dish for grilled chicken or baked tofu, or take it to summer potlucks for a yummy vegan side dish.

gray pottery bowl of vegan tabouli salad topped with parsley and marinated garbanzo beans with blue napkins

I. Love. Summer.

I love the feeling of school being out. I love the heat and humidity, even when I bitch about it. I love the longer days, the smell of gardenias, going to hear music downtown, the whole cliché shebang.

I especially LOVE summer-feeling food. Grilled meat with fresh or raw side dishes, that great mix of healthy and decadent, salads so fresh and crisp that they somehow quench your thirst, you know?

This tabouli is one of those salads for our family, and I can't get enough. My mom used to make picnics of hummus and tabouli and pita long before those things were cool, and bring them to the pool late swim practices in the summer. She made both with a heavy hand of lemon, one of my favorite flavors for dishes like this.

This version of tabouli is a teensy bit jazzed up with marinating the chick peas, but that's super hands off and can be done way in advance - the longer in advance the better, actually. The garbanzos end up creamy but still with texture and so much flavor from the lemon juice, garlic, and crushed red pepper. I honestly can't even.

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