Summer Recipes

Summer recipes will feature berries of all types, salads, tomatoes, stone-fruit (peaches, nectarines), cherries. Eating with the seasons helps us to access the maximum nutritional quality of the food, and it also helps to lessen our environmental impact.

My favourite summer recipes include Zucchini Noodles with Hemp Pesto, these Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint and this Creamy Summer Coleslaw with Yogurt Dressing.

Cold Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Green Beans

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A simple cold beet salad to welcome in the warmer months. I love the simplicity of this dish – only 5 ingredients and lightly seasoned with quality olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve this dish alongside any BBQ, or have it on its own for a light and nutritious lunch.

This dish was introduced to me by one of my good friends Sage. She made it over a summer weekend when we rented a house on the beach for a beautiful fun and friend-filled weekend in Tofino. The dish allows for the ingredients to speak for themselves. I love steaming my vegetables for maximum nutrient availability, but the beets and green beans can also be boiled for ease. Seasoned lightly with some fresh lemon, olive oil and salt this is a delicious cold beet salad is a must for any recipe repertoire.
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Healthy Coleslaw Recipe with Toasted Almonds [Mayo-Free ]

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Looking for the best Healthy Coleslaw Recipe? Well, look no further. Not only is this coleslaw recipe packed full of antioxidants from the red cabbage and fresh herbs, the creamy dressing is naturally mayo-free. Turn this salad into a main meal by adding some baked tofu or a few eggs.

The summer markets are bursting with berries, stone fruit, and fresh tomatoes. With the overload of delicious blueberries and wild blackberries, we sometimes forget about the more humble harvests. Cabbage springs into season in summer and has a lengthy season, lasting over 6 months depending on the climate. Cabbage is also packed full of antioxidants and is an easy addition to summer salads, BBQs and stir-fries.
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Vegan Zucchini Noodles with Pesto [Vegan, GF]

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Looking for a simple low carb meal idea that can be whipped up in 15 minutes or less? Look no further. This Vegan Zucchini Noodles with Pesto Recipe is so easy to make and is packed full of wholesome nutritious ingredients. Serve it with my favourite Vegan Pesto with Hemp for a dairy-free, grain-free meal.

Zucchini needs no introduction these long summer days. Gardens are overflowing with this veg and summer squash recipes are filling up my Pinterest feed. I’ve previously shared my Zucchini Noodle Lasagna, my Crustless Vegetable Quiche with Zucchini, and more recently, a far more edgy way to use zucchini in this Berry Cauliflower and Zucchini Smoothie Bowl. Another zucchini recipe to add to the repertoire, this simple recipe for Vegan Zucchini Noodles with Pesto is quick and light and perfect for these hot summer days.
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The Ultimate Vegan Pesto Recipe with Hemp

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Not just another pesto recipe – this Ultimate Vegan Pesto Recipe with Hemp is the best way to celebrate summer. The local ingredients have been maximized to great a truly sustainable dish!

The internet does not need another pesto recipe, but what it does need is a little flair added to the traditional basil pesto. I love using miso in my pesto, not only for that delicious umami flavour but also for the live-active cultures from this underutilized fermented food. Hemp is iconically Canadian, a sustainable source of protein, and a great replacement for pinenuts. Try this recipe for my Ultimate Vegan Pesto Recipe with Hemp on some Zucchini Noodles or on your favourite wrap.
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Best Lentil Salad Recipe with a Mustard Vinaigrette

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Need a quick and easy lentil salad recipe that everyone will love? This Lentil Salad Recipe with a Mustard Vinaigrette is a winner and uses pantry staple ingredients that are always on hand.

As the days become longer and warmer, life seems to speed up. There is less time for all-consuming meal preparation, and we find ourselves gravitating towards quick and easy meals. Not wanting to compromise on taste, having a few key go-to recipes up our sleeves for these busy days is a must. This salad is all about the dressing, which beautifully marinades the lentils creating a simple lentil salad recipe that everyone will love. This salad dressing recipe was also featured on my The ULTIMATE Guide On How To Make Salad Dressings.

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Beetroot Dip with Cream Cheese [5 Ingredients]

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This simple and delicious Beetroot Dip with Cream Cheese is only five ingredients! It is a great way to explore this versatile vegetable which seems to always be in season. Serve it with some Homemade Seed Crackers for a nourishing snack or light meal.

One thing I have learned from having a weekly vegetable box is this – beets are always in season. From June, straight through to November, they haven’t missed a beet, and even the winter edition is set to include more of this tasty vegetable. I love enjoying beets in this Beet Apple and Kale Salad with Walnuts and Dill and this Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Green Beans. Now, I am sharing a delicious and simple Beetroot Dip with Cream Cheese… and the best part? It’s only five ingredients!

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Vegan Ranch Dressing with Hemp Hearts

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This simple and delicious Vegan Ranch Dressing with Hemp is packed full of nutrition and taste. With only five ingredients it is an easy way to dress up a salad, and also tastes great on Buddha bowls or as a healthy dip for vegetables.

Hemp hearts are currently a hot topic and for good reason. They are an easy protein source, packed full of essential fatty acids, locally grown, and super versatile. I love hemp so much I’ve shared my favourite milk alternative Hemp Milk, and this yummy nutrient-dense snack Hemp and Sunflower Seed Pâté in the past. This Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe with Hemp is my new favourite way to incorporate hemp into my day. The creaminess of the hemp lends itself to this dressing, and I love it with shredded kale, beets, and carrots on top of fluffy quinoa. Yum!
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The ULTIMATE Guide On How To Make Salad Dressing

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Use this guide to make your own salad dressing at home. Homemade dressings can be just as delicious as they are simple and are a great way to turn an average salad into something special. I’ve also included tips on how to maximize the nutrition in dressings, as well as flavour variations for the best tasting dressing at home.

I love converting salad skeptics, all it really takes is a delicious dressing! Let’s face it, there is nothing exciting about a runny and bland dressing. The trick to a delicious salad dressing is getting the ratio of creamy fats and tart vinegar or citrus just right, and don’t forget the healthy and aromatic additions such as garlic, mustard or ginger. See below for my top tips on how to make the best salad dressing!

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Baked Tofu Kale Quinoa Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing

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This healthy Baked Tofu Kale Quinoa Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing recipe is the perfect all-seasons meal, and it is so simple to make. The savoury and delicious Glory Bowl Dressing is adapted from the notorious Whitewater Cooks cookbook and is a definite crowd-pleaser.

Every week in the spring through to late fall, we receive our weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vegetable box. No matter what the month is, fresh kale, beets and carrots fill the bulk of our fridge, and every Monday night we look forward to this healthy Baked Tofu Kale Quinoa Salad Recipe with Glory Bowl Dressing. If you have never heard of the notorious Glory Bowl dressing, you are in for a treat. The perfect combination of savoury, creamy salty goodness that brings any salad bowl recipe to life.

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Turmeric Golden Milk Smoothie Bowl

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A simple nourishing breakfast packed full of anti-inflammatory properties and wholesome ingredients. This Turmeric Golden Milk Smoothie Bowl is a modern take on an ancient herbal remedy.

Turmeric is on everyone’s radar these days, and for good reason. This vibrant spice has been used medicinally for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and offers a subtle flavour and dynamic colour to Indian cuisine. In conventional medicine, turmeric has been studied for its role in depression, high cholesterol and osteoarthritis. What’s popping up on Pinterest feeds is turmeric golden milk, a traditional Ayurvedic drink filled with nourishing ingredients including cinnamon, coconut and black pepper. This recipe for a Turmeric Golden Milk Smoothie Bowl is a modern spin on a very celebrated drink.
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Prebiotic Chickpea Smoothie Bowl + Three Tips To Improve Gut Health

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Maximize gut health at the first meal of the day with this chickpea smoothie bowl, packed full of prebiotic fibres to keep our friendly bacteria happy and strong. Want to know more about different types of prebiotics that can be added to smoothies? Chickpeas, dandelion root and chia seeds and more are all used to contribute to a healthy gut, and taste delicious in this chickpea smoothie bowl!

I’ve written about the importance of gut health in my post 5 Tips On How To Improve Gut Health Naturally – Prebiotics, Probiotics and Fermented Foods. Given all the functions of our gut bacteria, some experts consider our gut bacteria to be a separate organ. So how do we make sure our gut is working at its fullest potential? Here are my top 3 tips to maximizing a healthy gut, and a simple prebiotic chickpea smoothie bowl recipe to maximize our intake of gut health foods.
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Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint [Vegan, GF]

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A simple summer treat using fresh elderflower homemade cordial. Free of refined sugar and packed full of flavour. These Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint are the perfect treat for those hot summer days.

The culinary delights of summer are countless and it can be hard to keep up with all the seasonal arrivals. I’ve been finding elderflowers at our local farmers market, the flower of the elderberry which are the dark purple late summer berries that are used in pies, jams or medicinally. For now, we have access to the beautiful white elderflowers, which are also edible, and offer a more gentle medicinal quality. To keep up with the seasons I wanted to celebrate this beautiful flower with this Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint.

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Summer Recipes

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