By Claire Ciccarone

Summer has a way of changing how I move through the day. Earlier mornings, more energy in the evenings, making meals that are fresher, and inspired by the garden.

The best is not having a specific ingredient for a recipe and being able to use whatever I do have growing in the garden. A lot of herbs in particular, are interchangeable like that. Plus it beats the extra 3.50$ I’d have to spend at the store. No basil? Try mint. No cilantro? Sub with basil or mint, or parsley, etc. There’s a sort of thrill I get while creating a meal with whatever’s harvested or at the market that week and making it work in a recipe. It’s creativity at it’s finest, all you have to do is understand flavors. What works together, and what doesn’t.

These are a few of my go-to summer recipes that are simple, satisfying, and full of flavor. I come back to them again and again because they make me feel nourished and are so fun to share with my family and friends. They’re easy to substitute multiple ingredients with, so you can just use what you have in stock like I do!

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1. Easy Pasta Salad with Veggies

The best way to make eating raw veggies appealing in my opinion, is a cold pasta salad. A summer staple. I love making a big batch and eating it throughout the week too.

Ingredients:

• Bowtie, Cavapiatti, or Fusilli Pasta (I always use Jovial Foods gluten free pasta)
• Whatever raw veggies you have such as: bell pepper, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots.
• Feta (optional)
• 2-4 cups of mixed greens

Simple Dressing : 1/4 cup Olive oil, 1/4 cup red vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tsp oregano, generous amount of salt/pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta in lightly salted water, then drain and cool.
2. Chop the veggies into small diced up pieces.
3. Mix the dressing together and add optional feta, roasted chickpeas, or fresh herbs like basil, mint and parsley.
4. Add all ingredients into a bowl with salad greens.

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2. Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Tomato Sauce

With the most abundant fruit and veg of the summer, this minimal ingredient recipe gives you the taste of summer in a bowl.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 small/medium sized spiraled zucchini
• 2 cups of fresh tomatoes quartered
• 3 large cloves of garlic, whole
• 1 medium sized white onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup basil
• 1 cup soaked cashews
• 1/4 tsp salt & pepper
• Optional: your favorite cheese on top!

Instructions:

1. Chop tomato & onion into quarters while setting the oven to 400 degrees farenheit.
2. Put them on a pan with tin foil/paper and a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add whole cloves of garlic to the pan as well.
3. Put the tray in the oven for about 25 minutes or until tomatoes blister.
4. Take out the pan and blend the ingredients in a food processor with remaining ingredients including the cashews, basil, salt/pepper.
5. Squeeze the zoodles out with a paper towel to get the extra moisture out.
6. Add the sauce from the blender to the zoodles and serve with fresh basil, cheese & or an extra protein source of your choosing!

✨ You’ll never miss the pasta. (Okay, maybe just a little.)

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3. Avocado Toast with Cottage Cheese

I swear by this combo! It’s creamy, filling, and surprisingly refreshing.

Ingredients:

• Toasted sourdough
• 1/2 avocado
• Cottage cheese
• Drizzle of honey
• Fresh heirloom tomato slice
• Salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Optional: radish, hot honey, cucumber thinly sliced, microgreens, sautéed mushrooms and veggies, or an egg!

As seen here with foraged morel mushrooms (missing tomato and cottage cheese)!

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4. Kale Pesto

Herby, green, and super satisfying. I make this when I have an abundance of kale that needs to be used immediately! Just add all the ingredients to a food processor or small blender and add to pasta or store in a jar.

Ingredients:

• Cooked pasta
• 2-4 cups packed kale
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• Optional: nutritional yeast , walnuts or pine nuts, handful of fresh basil, or parmesan

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Want More Inspiration?

I’m working on getting better shots with my camera of what I cook (it’s hard when you want to eat it right away!), but in the meantime, enjoy my run of the mill iphone photos. 🙂 If you’re interested in being more present, eating good food, and nature-based lifestyle content, make sure to check out my latest blog posts and follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes glimpses into my creative life.

Thanks for being here 🌿

Take really good care of yourself,

Claire <3