Recipe for lovely, light summer meal: easy, minimal cooking and an end result that is not heavy or filling. Pretty colors on the plate are also nice. Salads of course come to mind right away. Luckily there are all types of salads, or even side dishes that also be considered salads when served at room temperature, like the flavorful bulgur with peaches and mint from this month's Cooking Light. I used that as a wonderful side/salad to complement the delightful recipe I found for zucchini and shrimp skewers on the Door to Door Organics web site.  These just looked so fun and summery that I had to try them. I am always looking for new ways to use zucchini, and I love the idea of slicing them thin, spreading with pesto and rolling around a shrimp - like a neat little package on a skewer! I had made pesto earlier in the week so it really was so easy to throw together. However, instead of cooking on the stovetop, I roasted briefly in the oven. You could also grill these for a charming party appetizer. Bulgur is a  perfect summer grain as all it requires is the addition of some boiling water, then about 30 min waiting time for the grain to fluff up. Just add whatever fruit, veggies, nuts, cheese, herbs, etc you have around for a really delicious side/salad. This recipe smartly highlights the wonderful combination of peaches and mint as well as toasted hazelnuts; I plated it over some fresh red leaf lettuce for added crunch. Heat a loaf of crusty French bread and uncork a crisp Sauvignon blanc  to cap it off and there you go - lovely, light, summery perfection.

I know, soup seems like a silly choice for yet another steamy 90s+ evening. But, this was a quick, easy, kid-friendly dinner and helped me clean out the fridge to boot! Besides, I always feel soup is better served at room temperature anyway.
I based it on the Chinese Soup recipe in my daughter's Kids First Cookbook (Hermes House, 2009). I already had some cooked chicken breast on hand from dinner the other night, so I used that instead of the chicken breast fillets the recipe calls for. I also had an ear of leftover corn on the cob we had grilled on Sunday, and scallions and carrots in the fridge. Some boxed chicken broth and egg noodles helped round things out. Since I had the time, I added the carrots and let it simmer for at least an hour to blend flavors before adding the corn and noodles at the end. I also poured into bowls and let it cool a bit before serving.

I love the crisp, peppery bite of a raw radish, and had received a gorgeous bunch in my Door to Door Organics Local produce order this week, complete with perfectly fresh, bright green leafy tops. I had seen a recipe in Whole Living Magazine about roasting radishes (and their greens) that I had been wanting to try, so I decided to use that as a base, incorporating other farm-fresh veggies into a full meal. I had also picked up two beautiful leeks from Promised Land Farm, as well as some yellow cherry tomatoes and my first sweet corn of the season from Charlann Farms at the Lower Makefield Farmers Market on Thursday. 



Here's the Whole Living recipe:
Roasted Radishes and Greens
Ingredients
·       1 bunch radishes (halved if large) and their greens
·       1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
·       Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1.     Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2.     Separate radishes and their greens and arrange on two rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
3.     Bake, until radishes are tender and caramelized and greens are crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

Along with the radishes, I added the two leeks, cleaned and chopped into about 1-in pieces to the roasting pan. I also used coarse garlic salt (instead of just regular salt). While the veggies were roasting, I microwaved an ear of the corn for about five min. When cool, I removed from the cob with a sharp knife.

Getting my organic delivery every week is so inspiring. As I open the box and carefully remove each item, my mind starts racing with the endless recipe possibilities. I often spread all this gorgeous produce out on my kitchen counter and then go to work deciding what's for dinner. Of course I already know what is in the box since I ordered it, but it is still fun receiving and opening the "package"- like having my birthday or Christmas each week!  
This past week my box included two plump portobello mushrooms which were perfect for stuffing, as well as a beautiful bunch of beets complete with generous leafy tops, which I decided to roast and serve alongside the greens. 
I looked to my Vegetarian Times cookbook for ideas and found Mushroom Caps Stuffed With Basil, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Parmesan - really meant to be an appetizer featuring white button mushrooms, but it served as a nice starting point. As a twist on the commonly used breadcrumb stuffing, I thought protein-packed quinoa would be a nice change.
First I soaked about a 1/4 cup of slivered smoked sun-dried tomatoes in water for 15 min and then drained them in a small sieve. While they were soaking I cooked some quinoa and cleaned the mushrooms, scraping away the gills with a spoon. I also prepped the beets - chopping them into small dice and spreading on a cooking sheet with a little olive oil drizzle and seasoning salt. 
Once the quinoa was done I pureed about 1/2 cup in a blender with the tomatoes, 2 cups loosely packed basil,  about a 1/4 cup of olive oil, a tablespoon of water, 1/3 cup of parmesan, 4 cloves of garlic, a small handful of pine nuts and some salt and pepper. I spooned the pesto filling into each mushroom and placed them on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, which I popped them into the oven, along with the tray of beets and baked both for about 20 minutes at 375. Then I took both baking sheets out  - the beets were done so I covered them with foil, and then topped each mushroom with a tomato slice, additional tablespoonful  of quinoa and a sprinkle of parmesan and placed them back in the oven, cranking it to broil for about 5 min. 

Also in the same cookbook was Braised Greens with Vinegar and Sesame Seeds:
1/4 cup flavored vinegar (I used champagne vinegar)
1 clove minced garlic
1 pound beet greens, washed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup water 
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Heat the vinegar and garlic in a saucepan. Add the greens and cook until wilted. Add the water, cover and simmer 2 minutes, adding more water as necessary to keep from sticking. Uncover, and cook until any remaining liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with cayenne and sesame seeds before serving. 

This was so easy and really delicious with the vinegar kick which paired nicely with the earthy beets and mushrooms, and the quinoa-pesto stuffing was spicy and flavor-packed!