Summer foods

[bokelley]

Post your favorite summer foods. I am looking for some new stuff in the rotation. Extra points for quinoa instead of pasta.

[SuzySunshine]

This is my favorite summer side dish by far: http://iowagirleats.com/2011/06/06/n...o-cook-supper/

[MsSassyBaskets]

This is my favorite use for quinoa: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...bbouleh-395939
I like to add extra lemon juice and a tiny dash of allspice or cinnamon. I could live on this in hot weather.

[L.Jane]

Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette


Ingredients:

For the salad:
· 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa
· 3 cups water
· Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
· One box (14 oz.) of frozen corn, defrosted
· 2 avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
· 1-2 pints grape tomatoes, halved ( I used 1 1/2)

For the dressing:
· 1 clove garlic
· 1/4 cup grape seed oil
· 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
· 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
· zest of one lime
· 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
· salt to taste
· 1/4 cup fresh packed cilantro leaves (optional if you don’t like cilantro)

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa with the water according to package directions. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Combine beans, corn, avocado, and tomatoes. Toss with cooled quinoa.
3. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over salad. Let refrigerate for several hours or even overnight. Makes 8 servings.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

These are currently my two favorite quinoa recipes:

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/bl...nchilada-bake/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/he...f=health&_r=3&

Made this tonight:

http://www.apronandsneakers.com/2013...a-pie.html?m=1
It was pretty good -- but I might serve it with some grilled chicken or something. I made it with 10 oz of ricotta mixed with basil, thyme, rosemary, herbs de provence and 2 eggs.


I have posted this one before, but it is one of my favorite spring/summer recipes (and everyone I have made it for has raved about it):

Tomato Goat Cheese Tart

Serves 6

Calories: 292; Fat: 18g; Carbohydrates: 22.1; Fiber: 1.3; Protein 12.4

Ingredients

-1 homemade or store-bought pie crust (I use Pillsbury when I'm in a hurry)
-4 or 5 vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes, sliced to medium thickness (pat with a paper towel to remove the excess pulp and seeds)
-8 oz of goat cheese
-2 large eggs, whisked
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried rosemary)
-1 teaspoon Kosher salt
-zest of one small Meyer lemon (regular is also fine if you can't find Meyer lemons)
-1 oz. of Gruyere cheese, shredded with a microplane fine grater.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9″ pie dish with the pie crust. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust.

In a small bowl mix goat cheese, eggs, rosemary, Kosher salt and lemon zest with a fork until homogeneous. Spread evenly over the pie crust.

Layer tomatoes over the cheese mixture until the pie is completely full. Very lightly, press the tomatoes into the cheese mixture.

Sprinkle Gruyere cheese over tomatoes (if a little lands on the crust, that's okay -- it makes it delightfully cheesy and crisp)!

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until crust is light brown and tomatoes are soft. If crust is browning too quickly, cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes if crust appears doughy.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 1 hour.

You can make ahead of time and eat this cold.

[bokelley]

This is my favorite summer side dish by far: http://iowagirleats.com/2011/06/06/n...o-cook-supper/

Made this tonight. Added some grilled chicken/apple sausage. Very good!!

Love all the ideas.

I am also looking for something that is maybe a pasta salad that has tomatoes and a feta maybe?

[alotofyarn]

This marinade is excellent: http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2010/08...en-thighs.html I used breasts instead of thighs and served them with the Dole Asian chopped salad mix.

[corn poffi]

I've have a recipe for an Israeli couscous salad with feta and tomato that's pretty yummy. I can post it in a bit. Gotta find it first...

[alotofyarn]

This uses couscous, but could probably use quinoa instead:

> DRESSING
> 1/4 cup olive oil
> 1/3 cup lemon juice
> 1 tsp cold water
> 1 tsp Dijon mustard
> 1 crushed clove garlic
> salt (as desired)
> black pepper (as desired)
> Crush salt into juice, add oil then mix all together and
> let sit.

> SALAD
> 1 cup dried lentils
> 1.5 cups uncooked couscous
> 1 cup diced red bell pepper
> 1 cup diced green bell pepper
> 1 cup chopped fresh mint
> 0.5 cup chopped fresh parsley
> 0.5 cup chopped green onions
> 1 cup (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese
> Cook lentil 'al dente'; cook couscous; mix all with
> dressing and let sit.

[MAPPLEBUM]

I made this last night. The dips are good but even marinating for 4+ hours didn't affect the taste of the chicken as I'd hoped. Still tasty though.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/t...nts-and-olives

[bokelley]

Zucchini noodles sub for pasta. So good. Didn't even miss the pasta at all and I LOVE pasta.

[BonBon]

I don't really like pasta except as a vehicle for the good stuff. I'm intrigued by this. Which veggie slicer did you use? This looks really good!!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

I keep looking at this fancy peeler on amazon that's supposed to turn your veggies into pasta like noodles but don't know anyone who has actually used one...I'm hoping you have??

[bokelley]

http://www.asseenontv.com/veggetti-s...l.php?p=537612 from bed bath and beyond. With 20% off.

[McPants]

The gf made a Swedish summer cake a week or so ago, which was delicious. Here's a link to her blog post about it which contains the recipe (she has a food blog).

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