Posted by Tastefully Simple on July 17, 2024
Summer is wonderful for so many reasons and one of the best ways to enjoy the warmer months is to make the most of the fresh fruits and vegetables that come into season. It’s so satisfying to grow a garden, cultivate your very own garden-fresh produce and then use that produce in your meal prep. Recipes and meals are enjoyed a little bit more when the vegetables are homegrown, fresh, and well-earned right from the backyard garden.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite recipes that showcase summer fruits and vegetables, giving you the perfect opportunity to start a little homesteading in your cooking routine. Not only will these recipes taste better, but growing your own fruits and vegetables at home can save you money at the grocery store. It doesn’t get better than this.
A simple way to integrate some of your fresh summer veggies into a delicious dish is with kabobs. Use fresh-picked bell peppers, zucchini and onions to make these Lemon Pepper Chicken & Veggie Kabobs flavored with our Lemon Lemon Pepper™ Seasoning. Onions not your favorite? Make kabobs to fit your tastebuds by using veggies you like better (mushrooms, broccoli, squash, etc.) which ones are nice and ripe and ready to be picked from your garden.
The hard work and care you put into your homegrown garden deserves recognition as you make your veggies the star of the mealtime show. Looking for a fun happy hour snack or a new addition to your charcuterie board? Our Parmesan Peppercorn Stuffed Peppers make fresh mini sweet peppers the main character, and stuff them full of savory, creamy Parmesan Peppercorn Cheese Ball Mix. Peppers can grow within 60 days, so this is the perfect mid-summer snack as your garden grows and flourishes.
Looking for a veggie filled main course? Try this Rustic Zucchini Summer Tart. It’s a great recipe to make the most of the bounty of zucchini and tomatoes.
For another stuffed vegetable recipe, try this hearty and flavorful Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms recipe. Large portobello mushrooms are filled with garlic, onion and quinoa. It’s so good, you might want to start growing mushrooms in your garden too.
Looking for a tasty snack or a garden-to-table side dish? Bayou Bourbon Green Beans will be a new favorite. If you can resist eating your garden green beans right from the stem, mix up this simple recipe with just three ingredients – green beans, olive oil and Bayou Bourbon™ Glaze, that’s it! This might be the quickest and tastiest garden-to-table recipe you’ve ever tried.
Are fresh crisp veggies more your style? Dip them into a big bowl of Parmesan Peppercorn Chip & Veggie Dip. Or grab a handful of ripe tomatoes from the vine and get wowed with our Tomato Mozzarella Salad. Tomatoes, olives, and a dash of our Rustic Herb Seasoning – mouth-watering!
Vegetables aren’t the only things you can grow in your garden. Berries and melon are other popular favorites. If you find yourself with a bowl of strawberries, consider whipping up our Strawberries ‘n Cream Pie. Mix those fresh berries with Berry Blast™ Cheese Ball Mix to create a super simple pie filling. Top it off with whipped cream and homegrown strawberries. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect dessert to end a hot summer day? And even better … no baking is needed.
Let us know what you are growing in your garden this year and share your favorite recipes with us using the hashtag #TastefullySimple. What are you waiting for? Get growing!