Refreshing Recipes for Summer
Baby, it’s hot outside! Usually, this time of year, we’re all hibernating in our air conditioned living rooms and only venturing out before and after the peak sun times. But these are unusual days, and we’re spending a lot more time outside.
These days, there’s a lot of sitting on our front porch to visit with neighbors, and gathering with friends and family in backyards to maximize social distancing space. Need something refreshing to serve while you’re baking in the heat? You’ll want these four recipes!
From our Watermelon Pink Drink which you’ll wanna sip by the pool to our Fresh Summer Gazpacho which will make you rethink how you serve soup… we’ve got you covered!
3 Ingredient Fruit Sorbets
No need to bust out the ice cream maker to enjoy this fruity treat. Mix and match your favorite tropical frozen fruits to make your own Fruit Sorbet flavor.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes, plus optional chilling time
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 10 oz. packages of Simple Truth Organic frozen fruit (such as strawberry or mango)
- 2 Tbsp. Simple Truth Organic Honey
- 1 tsp. lemon or lime juice
- ¼ cup warm water
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and combined. Serve immediately or pour into a loaf pan and freeze 3-4 hours until firm.
Watermelon Pink Drink
Our Watermelon Pink Drink is as tasty as it is beautiful. Really want to impress? Garnish each glass with an edible flower.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 5 cups
Ingredients:
- 4 cups watermelon, rind removed and cubed
- 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. Simple Truth Organic Honey
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Place a fine sieve over a bowl, and line the sieve with a cheese cloth or flour sack.
- Pour the processed mixture into the lined sieve. Use a spatula to gently press the liquid through. Discard the residue.
- Pour the watermelon juice into glasses and serve with ice.
Fresh Summer Gazpacho
This no-cook soup is loaded with summer’s bounty. Tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, avocado and more star in this Fresh Summer Gazpacho.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes, plus 3 hours to chill
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 hothouse cucumber, cubed
- 1 fennel bulb, cored, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 8 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 pieces of bread, crusts removed
- 3 cups Simple Truth Tomato Juice
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Serve with avocado, lime wedges, and fennel fronds
Directions:
- Add onions to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed. Remove onions to a large bowl.
- Add the cucumber, fennel, jalapeno, bell pepper and zucchini to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add chopped veggies to the bowl with the onion.
- Add half of the tomatoes with once slice of bread to the food processor. Pulse, then add the tomatoes to the bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining tomatoes and bread.
- Scoop 1 cup of the mixture back into the food processor and add the tomato juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Puree the mixture until smooth, then pour this back into the bowl with the chopped veggies.
- Refrigerate the mixture for at least three hours. Before serving, adjust the seasonings as needed and top with diced avocado, lime and fennel fronds.
Grapefruit and Blackberry Fruit Salad with Yogurt
Perfect as a breakfast on a hot summer morning or served along with grilled chicken for dinner. You’ll find endless ways to enjoy our Grapefruit and Blackberry Fruit Salad with Yogurt.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 side servings
Ingredients:
- 2 grapefruits, peeled and segmented
- 12 ounces fresh blackberries, rinsed
- Pinch of flaked sea salt
- A few sprigs of mint
- 5 ounces Harris Teeter Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Directions:
- Combine grapefruit sections and blackberries on a serving dish. Top with sea salt, yogurt and mint. Serve immediately.
Katie Harding is the publisher of Forks and Folly. A self-taught cook and die-hard foodie, Katie lives in Charlotte with her husband and three boys. Besides cooking and eating, she loves craft beers, running, and napping.