Fruit salad meets citrusy bubbles. Just the thing to sip on a summer day!
Ingredients
1 bottle dry white wine, chilled – like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
½ cup lemon-flavored vodka
1 can lemon-lime seltzer
4 cups watermelon, cut in ½-inch cubes
2-3 kiwis, cut into rounds
4 cups papaya, cut in ½-inch cubes
1 cup blueberries
2 cups strawberries
Directions
Place layers of fruit into serving glasses, leaving berries for later.
Stir together wine and vodka in a pitcher. Add in lemon-lime seltzer and pour mixture into fruit-filled glasses, up to about ½ inch from the rim. Top with berries and serve with straws and spoons.
Be sure not to stand between anyone and the plate of fresh spring rolls, you don’t wanna get run over!
Bright, fresh, and packed with raw veggies, these Rainbow Spring Rolls are a refreshing way to bring some color to your mealtime. They’re light but satisfying, perfect for cold prep meals, and an easy way to use up any colorful produce you have on hand. Rainbow Spring Rolls packed with colorful, crisp veggies and paired with a sweet dipping sauce.
Ingredients
½ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small-medium carrot, peeled/cut into thin batons
1 cup butter lettuce leaves, cut into 1-inch strips
2 Persian cucumbers, cut lengthwise into thin strips
¼ cup mint leaves
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1 cup red cabbage, cut into thin shreds
8 rice paper wrappers (plus a few more if some break)
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
¼ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup sesame oil
Sugar or honey to taste
Squeeze of lime juice
Dash toasted sesame oil
Directions
Dipping Sauce
Make dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice and toasted sesame oil. Add desired amount of sugar/honey.
Rolls
Boil carrots in water 1-2 minutes and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let cool for 3 minutes, drain.
Get a pie plate or bowl that’s big enough to lay rice paper wrappers in and have hot water on hand for re-hydrating.
Gather veggies and sesame seeds to assemble rolls.
Add hot water to pie plate and submerge a rice paper wrapper. Once softened, remove from water and lay on a plate or other flat surface.
Add a rainbow of veggies in a compact pile at the center of the wrapper and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Fold sides snugly towards the center without veggies piercing wrapper. Fold bottom flap over the center and roll tightly with a gentle hand in the direction of the top wrapper flap until you have a fully encased roll. Place on a plate lightly oiled with sesame oil to prevent sticking. Repeat with other wrappers.
Once all rolls are complete, cut in half and serve with hoisin dipping sauce.
Marinated veggies are delicious as part of a cheese board, served on their own with crackers, or piled onto a piece of toast smeared with creamy ricotta. You can also use the flavored oil as a dressing on your salads. For a heartier meal, you can spoon it onto a warm bowl of polenta or quinoa.
Here’s a great recipe that needs your attention for a few minutes of prep, and then the ingredients do all the work as you kick back and wait for the delicious fun to begin!
Ingredients
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflowerets
2-3 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup chopped sweet onion
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried basil
1 garlic clove, pressed
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Optional: ½ cup halved black or green olives
Directions
In a small bowl or lidded jar, add vinegar, Dijon, dried herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk (or shake jar) to combine.
Slowly whisk olive oil into bowl, or add to jar and shake again. Set aside.
Add other ingredients to a large bowl. Toss with dressing to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours – overnight.
Coleslaw is one of those dishes that’s like a good backup singer. It makes sweet harmony with the rest of your meal but it’s not the star of the show. When it’s just so-so, it kind of fades into the background. And, when it’s really great, it brings everything to another level…like this one!
Learn more about this summer staple in our The Union article.
Ingredients
6 cups shredded cabbage – mix of red and green
½ cup green onions, sliced diagonally
¼ cup fresh herb leaves – mint, cilantro or combo
1 cup shredded carrots
Roasted peanuts (or almonds)
¼ cup creamy peanut (or almond) butter
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey (or agave)
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Coconut milk, to thin dressing as needed
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together nut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). If dressing is too thick, think with coconut milk, 1 tsp at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine veggies and fresh herbs – reserving a few to top the dish before serving – in a large bowl and add the amount of dressing to your taste. Top with roasted nuts and remaining fresh herbs and serve.
One way to eat lighter and healthier is to eat more veggies, and why not have fun while you do it, by transforming all sorts of vegetables into noodles using a spiralizer, mandoline or a Y-shaped veggie peeler and a sharp knife.
The best choices are firm, not floppy, and the longer the better. Enjoy them lightly cooked and then treated just like you would regular pasta or served raw as part of a salad or a slaw.
Learn more about zoodles in our The Union article.
Ingredients
2 medium size green zucchini
3 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
1 cup flat leaf parsley, loosely packed
1 avocado, pitted
½ cup cashews, walnuts or pine nuts
4-6 cloves garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated – plus more to taste
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
Basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
Coarsely grind fresh and dried herbs, nuts, parmesan and garlic in a food processor. Add lemon juice, avocado and salt and pulse briefly to combine.
Prepare zoodles with your choice of spiralizing tool. Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add just enough zoodles so they have room to cook and aren’t overcrowded. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute and transfer to another dish. Repeat as needed to cook all zoodles.
Toss zoodles in pesto sauce and top with fresh and sundried tomatoes and basil leaves. Add a little more Parmesan, salt and pepper if you’d like.
Just like some folks enjoy raw cranberries in Thanksgiving relish, here’s a recipe for a great salsa featuring (slightly cooked) rhubarb, strawberries and some other goodies that help balance everything out. Let’s hear it for “sour power!”
Ingredients
2 cups fresh rhubarb, strings removed and finely diced
½ apple, finely diced – we like Cosmic Crisp
1 jalapeño, seeds removed, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup strawberries, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp vinegar – red wine or apple cider
1 Tbsp honey
½ tsp garlic granules or 1 clove garlic finely minced
Pinches of cumin and coriander powder
Salt/pepper to taste
Directions
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Put rhubarb in a small heat-resistant bowl or Mason jar and pour water over it. Let sit for 1 minute, remove rhubarb from hot water and shock in ice water.
Drain rhubarb and lay it on a paper towel so liquid can release. Also pat dry as needed before adding to other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, apple, jalapeño pepper, onion, strawberries and cilantro. Add garlic (granules or fresh minced), pinches of cumin and coriander, and a little salt and pepper.
Whisk together lime juice, vinegar and honey. Pour over salsa and stir to combine.
Refrigerate 2-3 hours for flavors to meld. Can also be served immediately. Add salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Leftover salsa keeps in fridge for a day.
Note: You can substitute yellow or green bell pepper for the apple for a more savory flavor.
