All tagged Summer

Easy Tomato and Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce

Easy Tomato and Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

This Easy Tomato and Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce is seriously the easiest and quickest pasta sauce ever.  Chop some tomatoes and bell peppers, simmer, add a punch of flavor with pesto and-BOOM!-dinner is ready!  Yep, that’s all it takes to make a dinner that doubles as a hot or cold pasta salad to take to work/school for lunch during the rest of the week 😊

Serves: 6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 lb. short pasta

2 cups tomatoes, roughly chopped (I used yellow/red/orange cherry tomatoes and orange heirloom tomatoes)

1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped

1 orange pepper, roughly chopped

½ cup water

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon pesto

How (your directions):

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt to the salinity of the ocean (this ensures flavorful cooked pasta).  Cook pasta according to pasta directions, then drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, add tomatoes, peppers, a pinch of salt, and the ½ cup of water. 

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove lid and reduce liquid slightly for 5 minutes.

Transfer sauce to blender and add pesto.  Blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour sauce back into the saucepan and mix pasta into sauce over low heat, to finish heating through.

Serve immediately!  Also delicious cold for lunch 😊

Why (the science):  Bell peppers are full of vitamin C, A, and folate!  Not to mention, this Easy Tomato and Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce has ZERO sugar, a characteristic hard to find in most store-bought pasta sauces.

 

Strawberry Pepper Gazpacho

Strawberry Pepper Gazpacho

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Strawberry Pepper Gazpacho is sweet with a kick!  The strawberries balance the spiciness of the jalapeno, and the peppers add body and texture to this bountiful summer soup.  I poured my gazpacho into two clean pasta sauce jars, making these the perfect grab-and-go meals or afternoon snacks.  Because it can be enjoyed cold or room temperature, strawberry pepper gazpacho can be enjoyed anywhere, be that work, school, outdoor festival, or picnic!

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 lb. strawberries, rinsed (keep the green stems on!)

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

6-8 small tomatoes

1 jalapeno, veins and seeds removed

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

How (your directions):

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until almost smooth but leaving a little texture.

Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for 4 days.

Enjoy!

Why (the science):  With colors like orange, yellow, and red, this soup is truly overflowing with vitamin C and antioxidants 😊

 

*Recipe updated from Purple Carrot

Easy Summer Zucchini Soup | + Video |

Easy Summer Zucchini Soup | + Video |

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

This easy summer zucchini soup could be my favorite soup EVER!  It’s light, silky, bright, and refreshing.  Not to mention, the soup comes together so quickly, you can have dinner ready and on the table in 30 minutes.  Serve with a warm, crusty baguette on the side and enjoy 😊

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 tsp. coconut oil

½ onion, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 zucchini, roughly chopped

3 cups vegetable broth (I used 1 tsp. bouillon and 3 cups water)

Juice of ½ lemon

How (your directions):

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat coconut oil over medium heat. 

Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes.  add garlic and zucchini and sauté for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add juice of ½ a lemon and serve immediately!

Why (the science):  Zucchini is rich in vitamin B6, which plays an important role in metabolism and cognitive development!  Who knew? 😉

 

Virgin Plum Mojito

Virgin Plum Mojito

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Refreshing, bright, and sweet, this plum mojito is best enjoyed on a hot summer day to cool off!  Easy on the stomach and good for digestion, this virgin drink would also make a great appetizer before any dinner 😊

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

What (your ingredients):

½ plum

6-8 sprigs of mint

Juice of ½ lime

½ teaspoon agave

2 cups sparkling water

Ice

How (your directions):

Slice ½ of a plum into 2 pieces and place in tall glass.  Add mint, lime juice, and agave. 

Using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon or spatula, muddle the plum and mint until the plum’s juices are released and mint is slight broken apart (~30 seconds).

Add 3-4 cubes of ice and top with sparking water.

Enjoy your refreshing drink immediately!

Why (the science):  Fresh mint is great for digestion, as it fights inflammation in the stomach.  Don’t be afraid to chew on the mint leaves once you’ve sipped all of your mojito!

 

 

Marinated Summer Green Bean Salad

Marinated Summer Green Bean Salad

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 4 hours of marinating

What (your ingredients):

1 lb. fresh summer green beans

1 lb. cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon excellent extra virgin olive oil

½ tablespoon champagne white vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or a spicy brown mustard works well too)

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

How (your directions):

In a large pot, bring 5 cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt.  Place fresh green beans into boiling water and set a timer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set aside.  Once beans are cooked, immediately transfer to the ice bath (blanching stops the cooking process and prevents the bright green color from fading or changing to a greyish-olive color).

While the beans sit in the ice bath, prepare the marinade.

In a large serving bowl, combine olive oil, champagne white vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Whisk until combined.

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and place in marinade.

Using tongs, transfer the green beans to the bowl with the tomatoes and toss until well combined and the marinade has coated each vegetable.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Serve cold or room temperature as a side to your favorite summer entrée!

Why (the science):  Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K, one of the fat-soluble vitamins, and is important for proper blood clotting.  Each cup of green beans provides more than 20% of your daily vitamin K needs!