15 Summertime Eats and Treats

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Wednesday was the first official day of summer meaning 2012 is now more than officially half over. How are we doing on those New Year’s Resolutions? Thought so.

No resolutions in this post. Just 15 summer recipe ideas for that are lighter, cooler, fresh and easy.

Orange Ginger Tempeh and Brown Rice Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette (vegan, GF if GF tempeh is used)

Orange Ginger Tempeh and Brown Rice Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Orange Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with Mustard Dill Cucumber and Orange Champagne Relish

Orange Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with Mustard Dill Cucumber and Orange Champagne Relish

Steamed Brussels’s Sprouts & Broccoli with Cheezy Coconut Sauce (vegan GF)

Steamed Brussels’s Sprouts & Broccoli with Cheezy Coconut Sauce

Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls and 2-Minute Peanut Sauce (raw, vegan, GF)

Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls
Peanut Sauce

Roasted Grapes and Balsamic Reduction with Cheese and Crackers (use GF crackers to keep GF and vegan cheese to keep vegan)

Roasted Grapes and Balsamic Reduction with Cheese and Crackers

Peaches & Coconut Cream Smoothie (vegan, GF)

Peaches & Coconut Cream Smoothie

Homemade Horchata (Vegan, GF, Soy-Free)

Homemade Horchata in three jars

Vanilla Iced Coffee – save your extra coffee, pour it into a pitcher or glass and store it in the refrigerator. Pour cold coffee over ice and add cream and sugar, to taste, and stir.

Also, pour extra coffee into ice cube molds for coffee ice cubes, which will water down your drink even less, if you really want to get fancy.

People make such a big deal over iced coffee but it’s so simple and I’m always amazed at the elaborate “recipes” and “techniques” about pouring coffee over ice cubes that I see.

Vanilla Iced Coffee

Vanilla Baileys Slushie

Baileys bottle and NuNaturals Stevia

Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria

Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria

Vanilla Avocado Banana “Ice Cream” (vegan, GF, no ice cream maker required)

Vanilla Avocado Banana “Ice Cream”

Strawberry Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread

Baked Orange Banana Coconut Donuts with Orange Coconut Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

Baked Orange Banana Coconut Donuts with Orange Coconut Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars

Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars

No-Bake Rolo and Caramel Cheesecake Parfaits

No-Bake Rolo and Caramel Cheesecake Parfaits

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and Ice Cream

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and Ice Cream

Is summer weather in full swing for you?

Unfortunately in San Diego, it’s far from hot. In fact, it’s actually cooler now than it usually is in September or October. We are plagued by fog and a heavy marine layer this time of year, known as May Gray and June Gloom, and the gloom is more pronounced closer to the coast. Inland, not so much, but I live pretty coastal so have seen more gloom than sun many days. However, I think we’re breaking out of it because this week was much nicer.

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always look like this here.

Coronado Island path with grass and palm trees

What are your favorite summer foods and recipes?

Link them up.

Thanks for the 3 Vegan Cookbooks Giveaway entries

Have a great weekend!

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Comments

  1. There are so many summer time recipes it is hard to choose. I just made yoru coconut cookie dough balls and I just might be in love! They didn’t turn out as pretty but tasted just as good!
    This Strawberry Bread is pretty incredible
    https://luvwhatyoudo.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/if-i-came-to-your-house-this-weekend-you-probably-ate/

    And I always love a fruit salsa or bean dip!
    https://luvwhatyoudo.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/have-a-treat/

    Happy Summer!!!

    1. Thanks for blogging about the cookie dough balls. I could use a few right about now!

  2. I really gotta try that first dish. Can you email it to me for lunch ;-) Oh summer is in full swing here for sure. It was already 75 when I started my run at 5:30 and 78 when I finished. Sigh.

  3. Summertime eats for me means melty ice cream, no-bake recipes, and lots & lots of grilling!

    Ha, I can’t help but chuckle at your “June gloom” out there in San Diego. I bet it’s still relatively nice out, you guys are just so spoiled the rest of the year!!

    1. No girl it really was awful last week. Think San Fran in October or Seattle. Cold, windy, gray, blustery. I would never have imagined it til I lived here. But this week it was stellar :)

  4. Oh my heavens. The double chocolate chip cookie cups with ice cream looks SO perfect for a summer weekend! Love it!!

    I’m a happy camper with popsicles. Always have been. Probably always will be!

    1. I just want your blueberry milk. Seriously. I love that you made it as a milk and not as a smoothie. The texture looks so divine!

  5. I like fish on the grill, chilled soups and any no bake dessert this time of year. Oh–and iced coffee. Hardly a day goes by in the summer without some! I don’t need anything fancy–light in color, sweet, and on the rocks does it for me. Flavored creamers and/or LorAnn drops make it that much easier!

    1. Flavored creamers and/or LorAnn drops are lifesavers, aren’t they! Have a great weekend!

  6. It’s full blown summer here! Once the city hits 90 degrees you can usually find me packing up and running for the beach – I wouldn’t mind a little bit of everything in this post being there! Happy weekend, Averie!

  7. I want just about everything you posted right now. Love the balsamic glaze ones and the fish too.
    Summertime eats… quick, leftovers, cold, raw, fruit, crispy…. anything that falls into those categories!

  8. hahaha I don’t even remember my new years resolution at this point….

    Besides a few recipes this week, I am totally on a no-bake kick right now. Sooo your no-bake rolo cheesecake parfaits are looking mighty tasty. Oh, and obviously that sangria! Your peachy coconut cream smoothie is looking so good right now too. Averie, I can’t even run outside these days… not even at a super crazy early morning hour. It’s TOO hot. So jealous that you run in hoodies right now!!!! Grrrr…

    To me, summertime screams margaritas! I’ll be drinking some at the BEACH this weekend! Cannot even wait.

    1. Ginger brew. Sounds fabulous. And yes, the Baileys Slushie is a 30 second little gem. Try it :)

  9. These look amazing. And I’ll be they taste great in San Diego. I’ve been there a few times, and yes, for sure, here in FL, we are much hotter than you.

    Love the Avocado ice cream. I might have to try that tonight!!