What I Cooked This Week - End of Summer

It’s hard to believe this weekend is Labor Day. At least the weather still feels like summer even though the calendar is indicating fall is near. These last days of summer are a great time to get in as many summer meals as you can.

This week, I tried to incorporate as many fresh vegetables as I could from my garden and the local market. What I didn’t use, I froze so I can enjoy those fresh flavors this fall. If you need help with freezing vegetables, check Freezing Summer for details.

Breakfast - Vegetable Hash

I love a good hash for breakfast. On those days when you need something a little more substantial than a smoothie, some vegetables with potatoes are delicious. And, you can use pretty much any veggies in your fridge. I kept mine vegetarian by using a plant-based sausage and black beans, but you can use chicken or turkey sausage, too.

Lunch - Kale and Apple Salad

After a filling breakfast, I don’t usually need anything heavy for lunch. So, this kale and apple salad is a great fit. It’s light and sweet from the apples and a few dates. This is a great salad to take to the office, too!

Dinner - Tuna & Green Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

You might think I’m salad crazy today, but this salad is more about the green beans than the lettuce. 🙂 A few white beans are mixed with the green beans to give the mixture a creamy texture and using fresh basil from the garden makes the vinaigrette a nice, bright flavor. I seared a tuna steak for my salad, but you could also use canned tuna. You can get the full recipe here.

A few more weeks before the cooler days of fall settle in, and I’m going to make sure I enjoy every day of it!