Simple Summer Garden Recipes
I grow a lot of basil…so I can make (and freeze) a lot of pesto.
Late summer is the season of abundance in the garden, and I have been hard at work making use of as much of my bounty as possible. So hard at work, that actually, if I’m being honest…I’m a little tired of gardening right now. Is “Garden Fatigue” a thing? If not I’m coining the term.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my garden and it brings me so much joy, but there’s definitely a part of me that’s looking forward to having a little break from it come October when it closes up for the season. Maintaining a 375 sq. ft. plot (I have 6, 4’ x 8’ beds) is a lot of work! Work I enjoy, but work nonetheless.
But anyways…
Earlier this year I decided to pretend I’m Scandinavian and extend my maternity leave so I can soak up as much baby time as possible with Zane during this first year, and now that he’s a bit older and nursing less and finally taking longer and more reliable afternoon naps (praise be!), I’ve found myself with a tiny bit of free time again.
As a creative person, I always feel the pull to be making something, and while I don’t have the bandwidth just yet to take on any substantial writing projects or other more artistic endeavors, I’ve found that cooking and baking have become my creative outlet right now, especially with so many fresh ingredients to work with from the garden.
It’s taken me by surprise because I have honestly never really enjoyed cooking. It’s always just been something that I did out of necessity, but I think in my old life I just didn’t have the energy to whip up anything from scratch at 7 p.m. after working all day, going to the gym, running errands, and etc. When I have more space in my day to plan out meals and prep ingredients, cooking is a lot more enjoyable. Call me a tradwife, but I’ve really been loving this slower paced season of life where my main priorities are taking care of the baby, the house, the garden, and making us all good things to eat. I know—I didn’t see it coming either. Motherhood has certainly surprised me, as it does I suppose.
While I’ve made all sorts of things this summer, there are a few recipes that have been in heavy rotation. If you also find yourself with an abundance of fresh herbs & veggies right now, here are a few of my favorites:
Simple Summer Garden Recipes
Cilantro Lime Dressing: I am obsessed with this cilantro lime dressing from Love & Lemons. It’s DELICIOUS and a great way to use up a bunch of cilantro. I’ve been using it as a salad dressing and also spread on top of the fry bread I make with my sourdough discard (I finally jumped on the sourdough bandwagon this summer and I’m hooked). It’s also really good on tacos.
Basil Pesto: I bought pine nuts in bulk early in the season because I have 6 giant basil plants in the garden and I love having a batch of fresh pesto in the fridge at all times to put on everything—pasta, toast, eggs, you name it.
Pica de Gallo: One of my favorite ways to use up a surplus of tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions, homemade salsa is a summer staple in our fridge this time of year.
Salsa Verde: This was my first year growing tomatillos and I don’t know what to make with them other than salsa verde, but I will happily make this recipe over and over again because it’s so good.
Pickled Radishes: A fun and tasty topping for tacos, veggie dogs, bowls, and more (they’re also great to eat right out of the jar), this is my new favorite way to use up my radishes.
Pickled Jalapeños: Jalapeño plants produce a ton of fruit, and while they freeze pretty well, pickling them is another great way to preserve your jalapeño harvest.
Kale Caesar Salad: I have 9 giant kale plants growing in the garden right now (why did I plant so many again?) and I have been making a lot of kale caesar salads this summer. There are a ton of recipes out there, but I keep it super simple: 1. Tear up 3-4 large leaves of Tuscan Kale into bite-sized pieces, 2. Massage the kale for a minute or so (until it starts to smell grassy), 3. Top with shaved parmesan cheese, croutons (I’ve been making my own with sourdough), and Trader Joe’s Vegan Caesar Dressing (which is so good even if you aren’t vegan).
Want to know what my absolute favorite thing to eat from the garden is though? A fat slice of vine-ripened tomato on a bagel with cream cheese. The best. Or a simple tomato sandwich on fresh sourdough with mayo. Or heck, just sliced tomato drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. I ❤️ tomatoes.
What’s everyone else been making this summer?
p.s. Oh, and this Zucchini Bread recipe from the New York Times is delish, as are these Zucchini Pancakes. Spending $20 to subscribe to NYT Cooking was a very worthy investment.
p.p.s. If you want to see what I’ve been growing this year in the Dzen garden, check out this Reel I made on IG.
