It’s that time of year. Farmer’s markets are overflowing, it’s hot, and you don’t feel like turning on the oven for dinner. Seems like someone’s grilling every weekend, and it never hurts to have a fantastic side dish–that isn’t a dessert–in your back pocket, ready to bring. I’ve been craving this simple, light shrimp and orzo salad all summer long. It’s healthy, lemony, and can be both a great side dish and a main (and a great leftover lunch… just sayin’).
The May Gray and June Gloom have mostly burned away; the Fourth of July is almost upon us and summer is in full swing. I don’t know how it happened so fast, but there you go.
Summer brings with it a slew of weekend cookouts loaded up with burgers, dogs, ice cream, potato salad–I could go on–suffice to say, with so many irresistible delicacies of the season, during the week, I like to cook pretty light and healthy to balance things out.
Whenever I’m feeling a little under the weather, this is what I crave. It’s light and yet hearty, rich and yet not overwhelming, healthy and yet feels indulgent; it’s a gorgeous combination of flavors and textures that I can slurp by the bowlful. It’s a simple soup that makes a huge quantity to have on hand in the freezer and fridge, that requires only a few
Brussels sprouts have suffered from an undeserved bad reputation for what seems like an entire generation, but, refreshingly, in the last few years they’ve enjoyed a real resurgence as self-avowed sprouts haters have grown to appreciate the subtly spicy, woodsy flavor of these adorable cabbage-like vegetables. Excellent roasted but just as good raw, shaving sprouts into a fresh chopped slaw like this one was new to me, but I’ve become pretty obsessed with the mix of flavors and textures in this light and incredibly healthy yet completely satisfying salad.
One of my favorite side dishes is potato salad, especially in the summer. Too often potato salad is bland and gloppy with too much mayonnaise and mushy, without enough crunch. This simple, lightened up potato salad is made with tangy Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. A zesty reimagining of a classic summer side, this potato salad is full of fresh herbs for flavor that’s perfect for adding some unexpected zing to your next cookout.