15 Summertime Eats and Treats
Wednesday was the first official day of summer meaning 2012 is now more than officially half over. How are we doing on those New Year’s Resolutions? Thought so.
No resolutions in this post. Just 15 summer recipe ideas for that are lighter, cooler, fresh and easy.
Orange Ginger Tempeh and Brown Rice Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette (vegan, GF if GF tempeh is used)
Orange Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with Mustard Dill Cucumber and Orange Champagne Relish
Steamed Brussels’s Sprouts & Broccoli with Cheezy Coconut Sauce (vegan GF)
Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls and 2-Minute Peanut Sauce (raw, vegan, GF)
Roasted Grapes and Balsamic Reduction with Cheese and Crackers (use GF crackers to keep GF and vegan cheese to keep vegan)
Peaches & Coconut Cream Smoothie (vegan, GF)
Homemade Horchata (Vegan, GF, Soy-Free)
Vanilla Iced Coffee – save your extra coffee, pour it into a pitcher or glass and store it in the refrigerator. Pour cold coffee over ice and add cream and sugar, to taste, and stir.
Also, pour extra coffee into ice cube molds for coffee ice cubes, which will water down your drink even less, if you really want to get fancy.
People make such a big deal over iced coffee but it’s so simple and I’m always amazed at the elaborate “recipes” and “techniques” about pouring coffee over ice cubes that I see.
Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria
Vanilla Avocado Banana “Ice Cream” (vegan, GF, no ice cream maker required)
Baked Orange Banana Coconut Donuts with Orange Coconut Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze
No-Bake Rolo and Caramel Cheesecake Parfaits
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and Ice Cream
Is summer weather in full swing for you?
Unfortunately in San Diego, it’s far from hot. In fact, it’s actually cooler now than it usually is in September or October. We are plagued by fog and a heavy marine layer this time of year, known as May Gray and June Gloom, and the gloom is more pronounced closer to the coast. Inland, not so much, but I live pretty coastal so have seen more gloom than sun many days. However, I think we’re breaking out of it because this week was much nicer.
Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always look like this here.
What are your favorite summer foods and recipes?
Link them up.
Thanks for the 3 Vegan Cookbooks Giveaway entries
Have a great weekend!
Haven’t tried the avocado in my banana soft serve- but totally want to give it a shot!
You’ve helped me with some light recipes for the next week! Thanks for sharing!
I just made some major banana monkey bread and it was a tasty!
well that’s pretty cool and keep me posted how light recipes week shapes up!
i recently made this strawberry icebox cake that was a HUGE hit with everyone who ate it – defintiely my new go-to summertime dessert:
http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/us/california/los_angeles/5821861-recipe-recap-strawberry-icebox-cake
Wow. That looks awesome! Love the choc drizzle and the strawberry slicer :)
These recipes all look divine! Especially that iced coffee-YUM!
Check out my latest recipe @ bakingblissful.blogspot.com
We made rice paper/veggie rolls earlier this week; you’re right that they are a perfect summer food. So cool and refreshing, and you don’t have to use the stove to make them!
I still have to make your horchata….one of these days, I will.
I agree about iced coffee. Coffe + ice = iced coffee; add soy milk etc. as desired.
P.S. I saw on your last post that you have a Cuisinart immersion blender. My oh-so-trusty Braun immersion blender, which I’ve used several times a week for the last 11 years, finally broke. Do you recommend the Cuisinart one? How do you get the BB&B coupons? Thanks!
It was $30 bucks and I’ve had it a week but so far, so good…especially for the price. I say buy what’s on sale and isn’t too heavy. Some of them weighed like…10 lbs and I didn’t want that!
Wow these pictures are making me want to go bake dessert now! That rolo parfait looks so good! I haven’t had a rolo since high school.
You had better change that! :)
Fabulous post, Averie! Love these ideas. I couldn’t live without the NuNaturals Vanilla liquid stevia; it’s amazing in everything from desserts to drinks to sauces!
Thanks for this great round-up of recipes.
Have a wonderful weekend.
xox
Summer makes me think of delicious fruit, berry pies and light, fruit salsas! Here is a great salsa that I am going to make on the 4th of July:
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/06/sweet-spicy-glazed-chicken-corn-avocado-tostadas-with-blueberry-peach-salsa/
And I love the look of the berry pie:
http://erinschubert.blogspot.com/2011/05/peach-blueberry-blackberry-pie.html
Anything that can be blended in the Vitamix with ice and stevia is a winner! I love your broccoli and nooch cheese sauce! Nooch + stevia are my 2 necessary daily ingredients!! :-)
I saw Jessica’s fruit salsa and thought…yum! when I read the post!
Glad that the broccoli and nooch cheese sauce is a hit!
So many recipes … so little time :)
Everything looks so dam good!!!! My favorite summertime treat is grilled vegetables! For some reason when that have that BBQ flavor they taste so much better!!
Grilled veggies rock!
Everything looks incredible but I think I’m starting with the Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria!!
Good choice :)
these look yummy!
you’re lucky with that weather..i live in bakersfield and just a few days ago it was 109. i hate the heat so much (especially since i grew up in santa barbara, moving here wasn’t fun!)
Personally, I love the June Gloom weather for working out.
And this year, at 38 weeks pregnant, I REALLY love it!
Ah! New Year’s? *tear* I’m going to ignore all statements floating around the blogisphere that the year is half over, Christmas is almost upon us and Fall is up and coming. Denial of it all!
I cannot believe this year is halfway over. Your photos are so beautiful!
Great recipe recap, I need to try your Orange Ginger Tempeh – yum! Funny that our weather is not very summer like this weekend either, temps are in the 70s this weekend – quite a change from triple digit heat last weekend!
My favourite summer food is probably a hot dog done over a fire :-)
Hello – all great ways to welcome summer!!
Vanilla Ice Coffee and Vanilla Slushie are the best, by far they are the top of the list in Summer!