When I think of my favourite gluten free summer recipes I think of that saying, 'It’s summer and the livin' is easy!' Anyone who cooks every day knows it's not always easy. What makes it easier is having a good collection of favourite recipes that you repeat year after year. I'm sharing some of my favourites in this Recipe Roundup along with my top tip to make summer cooking a little easier. I hope you'll find a few recipes or ideas that you're excited to try, and maybe add to your list of favourites.
Cooking by the season is the best way to add variety to your menu. Grocery stores seem to sell everything year round so you need to pay attention if you want to enjoy strawberries bursting with flavour and that perfect peach where the juice runs down your chin. You'll improve your chances of experiencing that by taking the time to visit a Farmer's Market. Wherever you are in the world, locally grown means it's in season.
Late Spring & Early Summer Favourites
Plant and Enjoy Edible Flowers
Edible flowers look beautiful and the only effort is to buy them, put them on your patio and water them. If you haven't tried it before you should.
Worth The Effort
There's always something to celebrate so make sure you have what I call 'once-a-year recipes'. I think they're worth the effort and of course I would be sharing them with friends. I can't wait to make that Grilled Shrimp Martini, best served on or near a lake.
All The Berries
Berries are abundant all summer! Blueberries travel well and are the easiest to keep. I grow raspberries in my garden so have lots of recipes to use them. Saskatoon berries and haskaps are local for me and bushes are plentiful if you know the right people and are willing to pick. Look for what's unique in your area and find out what home cooks have been making with them for years.
Celebrate Late Summer Produce
The seasons overlap and you can make whatever you want whenever you want. Once we're well into August I make recipes with corn, green beans, Swiss chard, tomatoes, snap peas, new potatoes and always more fresh herbs.
Fresh Fruit with a Twist
Stone fruit like peaches and apricots are plentiful in August and I'll grill up fruit just to sit on my deck and enjoy the evening a little longer. Maybe with a glass of Prosecco Berry Sangria in my hand.
Take Advantage of Fresh Herbs
There's something about growing fresh herbs that makes me put all of these dishes on my list of summer favourites. Of course I can buy those herbs any time I want but pinching them just when I need them makes me feel like it's summer and the livin' is easy! What about you?
Tools For Summer Cooking
Everyday cooks need a few tools and these might be on your list for summer cooking.
- A nice barbecue and/or a roadtrip stand up barbecue might be on the top of the list.
- Be sure reusable grilling sheets are on your list. They're perfect for a safe gluten free surface on barbecues anywhere. Cut them to the sizes you need and take them anywhere you go.
- 1-cup or 2-cup Mason jars are also perfect for individually portioned appetizers, salads and desserts. I have a very good supply and wrote this post about my 2-lid system with 7 different sizes of jars; Organize For Success with Mason Jars.
Let me know in the comments below what some of your summer favourites are or what you're adding to your list of MUST MAKE recipes this summer.
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