Roasted Summer Veggies with Gnocchi

*From @uncomplicatedchef on Pinterest.

PREP: 30 minutes + 30 minutes cooking

SERVES: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 12-oz pkg of gnocchi
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry basil
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 medium fresh tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup of grape tomatoes, sliced in half)
2 medium zucchinis, diced into large pieces
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 ball of mozzarella cheese
fresh basil
parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add veggies in a baking sheet pan with gnocchi.

2. In a jar, add olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil. Shake well.

3. Pour the marinade over the veggies and gnocchi. Combine well so that veggies and gnocchi are well coated.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

5. Tear mozzarella pieces and distribute over the veggies and gnocchi. Spread some parmesan cheese over the top. Roast for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. 

6. Serve with fresh basil, chopped.

Roasted Summer Squash and Zucchini

*Adapted from eatingbirdfood.com.

PREP: 30 min
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS
1 cup carrots, chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 small or 1 large yellow summer squash, chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 small or 1 large zucchini, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup red onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried parsley
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees before chopping vegetables.
2. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spread carrots on the baking sheet and place in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then remove before roasting with the rest of the vegetables. (This is to slightly soften the carrots so they cook more evenly with the other vegetables.)
3. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, including the carrots. Toss until the veggies are coated.
4. Spread mixture out onto the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until veggies are starting to turn golden brown and are crisp tender.

Mediterranean White Bean Soup

From Feel Good Foodie.

Prep: 45 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 celery rib chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 15-oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups baby spinach
fresh parsley for serving
grated parmesan cheese for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add vegetable broth and beans, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to combine all of the flavors together.
3. Stir in the spinach and continue to simmer until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, sprinkle fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.

Mexican Roasted Zucchini

From Bowl of Delicious.

Prep: 30 min
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
3-4 medium zucchini, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
4 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the diced zucchini, olive oil, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt/pepper, until well coated.
3. Spread evenly on baking sheet in single layer, making sure pieces are separated, and roast for 25 minutes, or until zucchini is browned.
4. Serve sprinkled with lime juice, cotija cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro.

Optional: roast other ingredients with zucchini including chickpeas, corn, or yellow squash.

Martha Stewart's Glazed Carrots

From MarthaStewart.com.

Prep: 25 min
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
9 carrots (1 1/2 lbs)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Quarter and cut carrots into 2-inch lengths.
2. In a skillet, bring carrots, sugar, 1/2 cup water, butter, and salt to boil.
3. Reduce heat, simmer, partly covered, for 6 minutes.
4. Cook uncovered, over high, tossing often until tender, for 3-4 minutes. Season with pepper.

Denise's Mexican Quinoa

Serves: 4 (side dish portions)
Prep: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 (8.8 oz) pkg HEB Central Market Brand White & Red Quinoa - in "quick heat grains" pouch
1/2 can corn (drained except for 2 Tbsp liquid)
dash of: garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and fajita seasoning
dash of cayenne pepper, optional - I didn't use this
cilantro, optional - I didn't have this the first time I made it
1 can Goya black bean soup

DIRECTIONS
Prepare bag of quinoa according to package directions. In a medium bowl, heat corn in its liquid for approximately 1 minute in the microwave. Add quinoa and seasonings. Stir together and serve topped with black beans.

Notes: I served this with fish tacos and it was a great alternative to rice and beans. It would also be delicious served as a chopped salad with the additions of tomato, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and chicken.

Best Baked Potatoes Ever!

INGREDIENTS
russet baking potatoes
olive oil
Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
Scrub potatoes clean. Rub olive oil and salt all over potatoes and place on a pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until internal temperature is 210 degrees.

Favorite toppings:
pulled pork or chopped beef brisket
sour cream
shredded cheese
diced avocados

Note: Use this same method for the best baked sweet potatoes! Serve with butter and salt.

Tzatziki

*Adapted from Design Mom. Watch her kids make it here.

Serves: 10 (about 2 1/2 cups total)
Prep: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 large English cucumber
8 oz plain Greek yogurt
8 oz sour cream
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS
Peel and grate cucumber. Squeeze the cucumber between paper towels or a clean tea towel to remove as much liquid as possible. (Don't skip this step or the tzatziki will be watery.) Combine all ingredients.

Serve on Slow Cooker Greek Gyros.

Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob

*From here.

Prep: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS
corn in the husk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Snip off long silks or dried leaves hanging off of husks to prevent burning. Lay corn, unhusked, on a cookie sheet (cookie sheet optional, but that makes them easier to remove).
3. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven. Leave corn in the husks until ready to serve the meal.
4. Cut off the tip of the corn, unhusked, about an inch from the base of the cob. Peel back the husks and remove the silks, which should easily come off the corn. Season however you like--my favorite is butter and salt and pepper.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

*Adapted from here.

Serves: 2 (but easily multiplied)
Prep: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 slices bread
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp basil pesto (I used prepackaged.)
1 ball fresh mozzarella, room temperature, sliced 1/4" thick, set on a paper towel to remove excess liquid
1 large ripe tomato, room temperature, sliced 1/4" thick

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat a nonstick pan (or panini press or George Foreman grill) over medium heat.
2. Brush the outside of each slice of bread with oil and spread the pesto on the inside. Place the mozzarella on the pesto on one slice of bread, top it with the tomato slices, and finally top with the other slice of bread pesto side in.
3. Place the sandwich on the pan and cook until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 2-4 minutes per side. (Or, place in press or grill and cook for 3-5 minutes.)

Southwestern Corn & Black Bean Salad

*Adapted from skinnytaste.

Prep: 15 minutes
Serves: 12 (1/2-cup servings)

INGREDIENTS
15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
9 oz cooked corn, fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
1 1/2 - 2 limes, juice of
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
salt & pepper
1 medium hass avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except avocado. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Add avocado right before serving.

Note: This would also be good with a seeded and diced cucumber.

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction

*Adapted from here.

Prep: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 entrees or 4 appetizers

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup honey
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Stir balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the vinegar mixture has reduced by half and is desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Set the balsamic reduction aside to cool.
2. Arrange alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella on a platter. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, spread fresh basil over the salad, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

*Adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe.

Serves: 6
Prep: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
16 oz pkg frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1/2 Velveeta cheese loaf, cubed
1 cup milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
1. In a stockpot, saute onion and carrot in butter until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broccoli and 1 1/2 cans of chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low, stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder.
4. Add cornstarch to 1/2 can of broth, stir until combined and then add mixture to soup. Raise heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until soup thickens. (Reduce heat immediately if cheese begins to stick to the bottom of the pot.)

Notes: You can use an immersion blender before adding the cheese if you prefer your soup to be smoother. I like broccoli cheese soup to have larger pieces of veggies, so I finely chopped half of the broccoli and coarsely chopped the other half for variety. You could also use vegetable stock if you want this to be vegetarian.

Clementine Mango Green Smoothie

*From New Nostalgia here.

Serves: 2
Prep: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 large handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups)
2 clementines, peeled
1 cup frozen mango (if fresh, use a frozen banana)
1 ripe banana (can be frozen)
1 1/2 - 2 cups water

DIRECTIONS
If using a high speed blender, add all ingredients together and blend until smooth.

If not, start with spinach and one cup of water. Blend well until spinach is in teeny tiny bits. Add the rest of the fruit and blend away. Add more water until a vortex forms in the middle and consistency is smooth.

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash

*From allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread onto a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until squash is tender and lightly browned.

Tomato & Zucchini Fritatta

*Adapted from skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4
Prep: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups (7 oz) zucchini (about 2 zucchini), diced into matchsticks
4 large eggs
1 cup egg whites
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, grated
salt & fresh pepper
2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes (about 8 oz), cored and thinly sliced crosswise

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sautee onion in 10-inch skillet (oven safe skillet) with oil over medium-low heat until slightly golden, 8-10 minutes. Add zucchini, increase heat to medium-high, season with salt and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes or until the moisture dries up, stirring occasionally.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, Asiago, salt and pepper. Pour eggs into the skillet making sure they cover all the vegetables. Arrange tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on top and season with salt and pepper. When the edges begin to set (about 2 minutes) move skillet to oven. Cook about 16-18 minutes, or until frittata is completely cooked. Serve warm, cut into 4 pieces.

Raw Tomato & Green Bean Pasta

*Adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

Serves: 6 (as entree servings; serves at least 8 as a side dish)
Prep: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
salt & pepper
3/4 lb. orecchiette (or other small pasta)
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. beefsteak tomatoes, diced medium (I used 1 1/2 very large tomatoes.)
1 small garlic clove, mashed to paste (I chose to mince the garlic because it didn't break up well enough.)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)
1/2 cup fresh dill or mint (I recommend the mint.)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions, then add beans and cook until bright green and just tender. Drain and return to pot, removing from heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, oil, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add pasta, beans, and half the feta and herbs; toss to combine and season. Serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with remaining feta and herbs.

Optional: serve with shredded rotisserie chicken mixed-in or grilled chicken breasts on the side.

*Notes for myself: Use half the amount of garlic and no mint if serving to the kids. Additionally, this recipe could easily be halved.

Lena's Cranberry & Cilantro Quinoa Salad

*From allrecipes.com here.

Serves: 6
Prep: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup minced carrots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Pour the water into a saucepan; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour in quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the water has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
(To serve cold) Scrape into a mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator until cold. Once cold, add all additional ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill again before serving.
(To serve hot) Add all additional ingredients to the pot and mix well. Heat on low and stir often until all ingredients are hot.

This could be served alongside an entree or as a main dish.

Suzanne's Sauteed Zucchini

Prep: 15 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tsp garlic
4 zucchini, sliced
1 can petite chopped tomatoes
oregano, to taste
basil, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Saute onions and garlic in olive oil on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add zucchini, can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Cook until zucchini is crisp tender, about 5 minutes.

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells

* From Real Simple magazine, May 2010--found online here.

PREP: hands-on 20 minutes, total time 45 minutes

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

20 jumbo pasta shells (about half a 12-oz box)

1 24-oz jar marinara sauce

2 15-oz containers ricotta (I used one low fat and one part skim)

2 cups baby spinach, chopped (I used closer to 3 cups and could have used more)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 oz)

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 cup grated mozzarella (4 oz)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set an oven rack to the highest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and run under cold water until cool. (The shells I made were too soft, so next time I'll cook them for 1-2 minutes less than recommended so they're more al dente.)

2. Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom of a large broilerproof baking dish. (I used a glass casserole dish.)

3. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Spoon the mixture into the shells and place them on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake until the shells are heated through, 10-15 minutes.

4. Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until the cheese begins to brown, 2 to 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions: a leafy green salad