This week’s guest post is from Lisa at Full and Content. Lisa’s blog is a something really special – packed with gorgeous photos, killer recipes, and in-depth looks at local restaurants in and around Austin. If you love to cook, or even if you just love to eat, definitely check out Full and Content. Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your meatless recipes here on Mary Makes Dinner!
The idea of long, lazy summers spent whiling away my time riding bikes or exploring the woods and dry creek beds around my house is still strong in my mind. Summer is about long expanses of time that require creativity and gumption to fill those seemingly endless hours. In theory it is, at least. Things have changed a bit since I was six or eleven. Now my own six- and eleven-year-old kids hold that perspective, but it’s a whole other ballgame for me.
The routine of school has been disrupted, and as much as I love the temporary flexibility of summer vacation, it’s no longer the same lazy days of Summer that filled my formative years. And yet I still have that inner urge to fill the time, which I do, a little too much sometimes perhaps. There always seem to be more fun things to do than there is time to do them, and now I also have the role of playing the grown-up. A simple swim with two kids and me as the solo adult is exhausting. Fun, worth it, but exhausting. Add actual work into the day, and by the end of it my usual enjoyment of things like cooking gets a bit deflated.
But we still have to eat. Quick, easy to throw together meals using all that wonderful summer produce become the norm in my house. Here are a few tried and true ones, good after a long day of play or for packing up and taking on an adventure, whatever fun things the day may entail.
D.I.Y. Cold Peanut Noodles
I fell in love with this dish in college while working at a Chinese food restaurant. This was an off-menu item that the owner made for himself and his family, and sometimes for the staff. I make several versions of it, changing up the sauce and vegetables periodically, but I like this one for its simplicity and neutrality. Even my picky kids will eat this (tip: changing the name to Peanut Butter Noodles seemed to make it more appealing to them). It’s d.i.y. because everyone customizes their own dish, salad bar style, and any spiciness is added at the end. It was my way of enjoying one of my favorites without scaring the bezeejus out of my kids because a cucumber might be touching their noodles, and it’s perfect for summer picnics.
Green Chile-Chard Frittata with Farmhouse Cheddar
Frittatas are a frequent fall-back in my kitchen due to their versatility. When the hatch green chiles start popping up in late summer, this is a favorite combination of ingredients. It can be eaten warm or at room temperature, so it’s also a contender for a picnic. I usually make it in a cast iron skillet, but it can also be baked in muffin tins and taken to a summer potluck for easy individual servings. Add a green salad with Toasted Garlic-Tomato Vinaigrette to balance the meal.
Curried Greens with Garbanzos
Except for those during 30 day stretches of 100+ temperatures, greens of some sort easily grow year round in central Texas. Occasionally I find myself with huge bunches of random, mixed greens, and this recipe was developed to make use of that bounty. I’m a long-time fan of saag paneer, so that was the inspiration, but I replaced the paneer with garbanzos for protein and because they are more readily available (like, right inside your pantry). You can eat this as is or atop rice or quinoa. Try it with this Green Tomato Chutney to give it a rounder flavor.
Pizza alla Bismark with Zucchini
Pinterest would have you believe that any pizza with an egg on top is a “breakfast pizza,” and hey, call it that if you like. It actually has a name though. Pizza alla Bismark typically includes ham or prosciutto, but the ingredients can be customized and the egg is non-negotiable. I wanted to make a meatless version and had zucchini up to my eyeballs (as is wont to happen in the summer), and voila! This pizza was born. The sauce is my standard, basic pizza sauce. Use fresh, heirloom varieties to ensure it is bursting with flavor. The naan bread makes easy work of the crust and is perfectly sized for individual pizzas.
Summer Vegetable Sandwich with Chèvre
A sandwich with fresh tomato, goat cheese, and Balsamic vinegar may seem like a tired vegetarian option, but it’s a classic for a reason. Those flavors are all really nice together. This one takes it to eleven by adding in other summer vegetables. You can easily customize this based on whatever you have at hand. The fresher the better here, and opt for a really good quality bread and cheese plus fancy vinegar as much as you can. Finish it with some homemade peach or strawberry ice cream, which should just live in your freezer for as long as these two fruits are in season.