Hi friends!
If you are anything like me, you aren’t too jazzed on cooking during the summer. Fall, winter, and even spring… I will happily spend hours making soups, stews, pastas, and baking. But when summer rolls around, I want to be outside, exploring, adventuring, and spending time with my family. Plus, it is just too hot half the time.
Because of this, dinners look a lot different in summer. Most of the time, I try to avoid the stove and make sure whatever I do can be done as quick as possible. Are you with me on this? If you are, this post is for you. This is what a typical week of summer dinners will look like for us. These are the recipes that are on repeat.
#1: Cold Sesame Noodles with Tofu & Broccoli
Sesame noodles are so easy to pull together. All you have to do is prepare a noodle of your choice according to package (we like rice but sometimes I even use whole wheat spaghetti if that is all I have). Toss with sesame oil, soy sauce, and a bit of salt to taste. Add in broccoli florets, scallions, and baked tofu.
#2: Zucchini & Summer Squash Pasta
This dish is even better if you grow your own zucchini and summer squash. But nothing screams summer quite like garden vegetables. Recipe here.
#3: Potato & Corn Chowder with Fried Zucchini Blossoms
This is pretty much the only soup-like recipe I will make because I love chowder in the summer, especially after a beach day. Pair this chowder recipe with some fried zucchini blossoms from your garden to dip and oh my gosh… just heaven on earth. (And the chowder is even better if you use fresh dill!)
#4: Summer Rolls
One of my favorite cold dinners and so easy once you get the hang of handling rice wraps. The best part? You can add whatever veggies you want to these. Get creative and use what you have! These rainbow rolls are awesome. Also these tofu rolls. And these with mango and avocado. SO many ways to enjoy them.
#5: Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Pasta
Another pasta dish because it really is easy to just boil some water and make pasta. This is another summer hit because I make it with our own garden tomatoes and basil. Sauté the tomatoes and basil with lots of minced garlic and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss in the pasta. DIVINE.
#6: Grill Night
This is simple stuff but we always have at least one grill night a week in the summer. This is nice for me because I get a break and my husband takes over. We usually grill things like Beyond burgers, smart dogs, peppers, zucchini, portobello mushrooms, corn on the cob, and onions. These are the best kinds of dinners in the heat of summer.
#7: Taco or Nacho Night
We’re big fans of taco or nacho Tuesday year-round, but especially in the summertime. With minimal prep, you have a meal that is satisfying and refreshing. The recipes for the above tacos and my favorite nachos are in my latest ebook. You can grab a copy, here!
For more budget-friendly recipes and information on how to save money on a plant-based diet, download my eBook: My Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Kitchen.
