Summer Speisen.

Stagiaire Fash

It’s finally summer weather here—yay! I’ve been reminded, as I am most years, that I don’t eat enough in summer. I’m simply not hungry when it’s hot. I drop weight, partially because my metabolism speeds up with the sunshine, warmth, and activity of summer, but partially because I forget to eat so long that I’m light-headed, and then I’m too tired to do much, so I have a carton of cottage cheese and call it good. I’m looking for suggestions of yummy summer food, preferably things I can prep in advance, like the jar salads (could really use some variation there), spanakopita, muffin-tin frittatas, and stir-fry (I chop the veggies in advance) that are already on the menu.

A few particulars:
I’m vegetarian but eat fish (but not shrimp), dairy and eggs
I don’t always tolerate gluten well.
I prefer foods that are naturally low-fat (ie, not full of sugars to make up for the fat).
I’m always on the lookout for ways to get more protein in, as I try to get 40% of my calories from it.
Fresh watermelon, celery stalks, walnuts, almonds (sometimes) and uncooked apples give me mild allergic reactions.

Today I made cornbread muffins to enjoy with honey & butter (real butter I made by whipping cream too long), red beans, and fresh blackberries—not all at once though!

What are your favorite summer eats? Do you have any recipes for me to try?

3 years ago

Off Topic

12 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

Indigoprint

Veteran

I hope I am understanding what you mean with jar salad....a salad layered in a jar so it stays fresh...
I love them and had an aha moment when I read an article that suggested to improve your salad by using fewer ingredients. I used to add any and all veggies in a jar. Now I try to tailor the flavors..ie spinach, onions ,strawberries with red wine dressing.
Or mixed letuces with fresh tomatoes, onion, feta cheese and a vinegaret. Or a Caesar stlye with fresh ground pepper parmsian cheese(no croutons)
I have also been having fun with spring roll wraps.
Thay are so pretty.

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Indigo print, yes, that’s the kind of salad I mean. I can’t remember where I got it, but these are the ingredients for the one I have on repeat, plus layering instructions. Spring roll wraps are a great idea—thanks!

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3 years ago

kkards

Veteran

I have some simple fall backs that i like when the weather gets warm, and/or for days when i work late or traffic is bad and I’m out of time.
i make a quiche and cut it up and freeze, i take it out a day before and then heat it up, i usually try to heat it up low and slow, but have microwave it on occasion
Cheese, crackers/bread (or whatever gluten free bread substitute you prefer), pepperoni, cucumbers, carrots and dip.
I also like to make a pasta salad with veggies and feta cheese or tortellini’s with veggies, but realize these are probably not a great option if you don’t tolerate gluten well. But its the kind of thing that works best if made in advance
My other fast fall back is tuna or chicken salad, i like craisins in mine, because it adds a nice texture and sweetness. These are also best if made in advance, but often for me, are last minute choices.

and of course there’s the old trick of making a couple of hard boiled eggs at the beginning of the week

3 years ago

Anonymous

I have been tweaking my meals lately. I eat eggs twice a week, once for breakfast and once for dinner. The other breakfast items the rest of week for me are yogurt, granola and oatmeal.

I eat a cheese sandwich for lunch. Dinners are a mix of meals of beans, pasta, vegetables, rice, tomatoes and parmigiana

3 years ago

Sal

Veteran

I like vietnamese style salads - vermicilli with cut up peppers, cabbage, cilantro, nuts with a chilli lime caramel type dressing (we add chicken but tofu would work)

I also like a soba noodle with salmon salad - adding radish, vege and a japanese miso dressing.

I can hunt down the recipes if they appeal.

3 years ago

Echo

Veteran

I am a big fan of chopped salads where all ingredients are diced and mixed together. The dressing is carried separately and mixed in when you are ready to eat. I commonly make them with lettuce, cucumber, carrot, boiled eggs, black olives, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro, but you can add beans or any other veggies. The advantage is that because everything is already diced, there's no mess when it is time to eat.

Most of my other recipes probably wouldn't appeal, as they tend to be high fat and low carb. I snack on lots of nuts, which is also good for good fats and protein.

3 years ago

SarahD8

Veteran

We eat a lot of nicoise salads in the summer (served with a goat cheese toast, I know that nicoise and chevre chaud are different dishes but we're rubes).

Zucchini sandwiches -- grill, griddle, or saute zucchini cut into planks/fillets and marinated in evoo/lemon/garlic/fresh oregano. Assemble on rolls with spicy pepper mayo, avo, tomato, red onion, provolone. Maybe too much fat/gluten for you but that was tonight's dinner so it's top of mind.

I really like crustless quiche for hot days too. You can bake it in the morning or before the heat wave starts and serve room temp or cold.

I'm really into wheat berry salads at the moment but they do require a generous hand with the dressing or can be a bit too virtuous iykwim.

Sal I'm intrigued by the dressings you mention!

3 years ago

Minaminu

Veteran

Quiche are a good option. Also,
pitta with tzatziki
couscous with veggies, this recipe was quite good
watermelon and feta salad
courgettes minted salad
fennel salad

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thank you all for the ideas!!

I do frequently make muffin tin frittatas, which are essentially crust less quiches; they’re good because I can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Minaminu, thanks for the links. I love eggplant so am especially looking forward to that one.

Sarah08, zucchini sandwiches sound yummy. That is probably an entire days allotment of fat, but yum! I can eat fat-free the rest of the day. You’ve also reminded me that I meant to make zucchini noodles, thanks! I’m more of a rube than any of you, because the difference between those cheeses would not have occurred to me.

Echo, getting it all chipped ahead of time is a good idea. Do you have any favorite combos with beans or other proteins?

Sal, those sound delicious—I’d love the recipes please.

Thanks Nikki—sounds like healthy eating.

Kkards, oooh, freezing the quiche/frittata is a new idea to me! I should figure out a tuna salad recipe I like. I’m not a fan of mayo, so I generally just drain the can of tuna, squirt in some lemon juice, and grab a fork. My son accuses me of eating cat food.

3 years ago

Echo

Veteran

SF, my eating plan/diet is significantly different from yours - just about the opposite, in fact! However, regarding putting beans in a chopped salad, black beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado and black olives can be diced and tossed with sour cream and/or taco sauce as the "dressing" in a taco salad. Personally, I would go heavy on the sour cream, cheese, avocado and whatever meat protein I had chosen, as I don't eat much in terms of beans.

Regarding the tuna, you might want to try nonfat unflavored Greek yogurt. With a little mustard, spices and possibly a bit of pickle juice (or chopped pickles in the tuna salad), it makes an acceptable substitute for mayo.

3 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Feel Good Bowl

I adapt many of these ingredients - eg swap green beans for edamame or cashews for the other nuts. I do like the salmon, soba, radish, cabbage combo though. You can put in a jar or a bowl and toss with the dressing as you like.

1 1/2 cups cooked soba noodles
1 cup cooked edamame
1 cup cooked salmon
1 1/2 - 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 radishes - finely sliced
2-3 T pinenuts or sliced almonds
4 brazil nuts - chopped
1 T black sesame seeds

Soy Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup super dressing
1 T tamari or light soy sauce
1 t sesame oil

Super Dressing

This is a base dressing that can be used for other salads and can be kept in the fridge.

1/2c lime juice
1/2 c orange juice
2 T miso
1 t grated fresh ginger

Shake and mix.

Vietnamese Caramel Chili Dressing
1 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup water
2 long red chilli (fresh) incl seeds- finely chopped
finely grated zest of one lime
1/2 cup lime juice
2T fish sauce
1 t tamarind paste

Combine sugar and water in a heavy based pot - bring to boil and boil until the bubbles become very large and the colour is a rich gold (about 6 mins). Remove from heat and str in chilli and lime zest. Allow to cool for 5 mins then add lime juice, fish sauce and tamarind. If not using at once store in the fridge.

This can be used in a variety of salads - I like it with a vermicelli one with chicken (or tofu) with fresh herbs (cilantro and mint) and crunchy vege chopped or shredded (carrot, cabbage, radish ,cucumber, zucchini etc) and some nuts (peanuts or cashews).

Annabel Langbein is a great NZ chef/cook and I love her recipes - might be worth googling to find some more.

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Sal, those sound delicious—thanks! And I just might look up more from her.

3 years ago

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