Heirloom Gazpacho

Not sure what to do with all those tomatoes in your garden? Make gazpacho! Such a good way to get tons of veggies in 1 meal and it's cool for those hot summer nights.

Ingredients: Lots of tomatoes (about 6 depending on size) and a variety is best, 1 large cucumber, 1 green pepper, about 2 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, fresh juice from 1-2 lemons. I keep all the skins on the veggies for those added nutrients but peel whatever you don't want. Also, add cayanne pepper or green chillies for a spicy kick!

Directions: Combine all ingredients in food processor to desired smoothness (I like mine a little chunky) and chill before serving.
Top with:
Sour cream
Chopped cucumbers
Croutons
Chives
Crumbled bacon
Chopped hard boiled egg
Chopped cilantro
Chopped chilis

Spinach and Crab Stuffed Portabellas

You can tell I'm from the east coast when all my summer recipes include seafood! I actually had a version of this at Sushi place and tried making it home. Here's what I came up with.

Ingredients: 2 portabella mushrooms, 1 can of real crab meat, 1 bunch of fresh spinach chopped, 3 tbsp of whipped light cream cheese (feel free to use more or less as desired), a few tbsp of parmesean cheese, olive oil.

Directions: Lightly drizzle olive oil on washed mushrooms. Bake at 425 degrees for 4 minutes, then flip and cook other side 4 minutes. While baking, mix together crab meat, chopped spinach and cream cheese. Scoop on top of mushrooms and sprinkle with parmesean cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese) then bake for about 5-10 minutes (until bubbly, mushroom is tender all the way through, and cheese is melted).

Mango Shrimp Stir Fry

So healthy. So yummy. So simple.

Ingredients: shrimp, mango, edamame, red peppers, black beans, cashews, olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon, soy sauce.

Directions: Cook shrimp on low until pink (about 3 minutes) and red peppers in a tbsp of olive oil and a fresh squeezed lemon. Cook edamame according to directions (usually boil for a few minutes). Drain and rinse black beans and microwave for 30 seconds until warm. Chop up mangoes. Mix all together with a tbsp of soy sauce and top with a small handful of cashews.

Watermelon Feta Salad with Salmon

This is so easy and common I probably shouldn't put it on my blog, but with summer ending and watermelons in bounty, here's a push for another great salad.

Ingredients: romaine lettuce and/or spinach, diced up watermelon, crumbled feta cheese, and a fillet of salmon.

Directions: Chop up lettuce and watermelon. Sprinkle on feta. Cook salmon in a skillet on medium heat for about 3 minutes each side. (I cook with a LITTLE bit of butter on the pan and keep it covered so it stays moist). Great with an Asian dressing.

Asian Steak Lettuce Wraps

This is the epitame of balance to me...Great protien with vegetables in something that ISN'T a stir fry. Warning, I'm not putting exact measurements on these recipes because I think it's good to cook what you need and want.

Ingredients: flank steak, red peppers, onions, sliced carrots, asian dressing, romaine lettuce

Directions: Grill steak flipping after 2 minutes (it cooks quick since it's thin). Slice red peppers, onions and carrots and steam in a pan over medium heat with a few tbsps on water until cooked (I like them a little crunchy so I don't cook all the way through). Clean lettuce, break off white ends, add steak and veggies and top with a drizzle of an asian dressing (my favorite is a lite soy ginger).

Variation: Add mango for a sweet twist!

Pomegranate Frozen Yogurt Cake with Oreo Crust

I couldn't even get a picture of this before it was almost gone and melted! This is a ridiculously easy recipe taking 2 pre-made ingredients and putting then together to create a summer favorite.

Ingredients: Your favorite frozen yogurt, a pre-made store bought oreo cookie pie crust. I love fruit and chocolate so that's the combo I went with but you can use strawberry cheesecake frozen yogurt and graham cracker crust, mint chocolate chip and oreo crust, oreo and oreo, maple walnut and graham cracker crust...the possibilities are truly endless.

Directions: Put frozen yogurt in a bowl and mix until soft and soupy. Pour into pie crust and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Wild Rice with Dried Pomegranates and Cashews

This is embarrassing to post as a recipe, but it's a good alternative to a simple, healthy, side dish.
Ingredients: wild rice (in box or bag), 1/3 c. of dried pomegranates, 1/3 c. of cashews
Directions: Cook wild rice according to instructions. Add dried fruit and nuts. Done and done!