summer vegetable ceviche

Happy Labor Day! I know many of you are probably in denial about summer coming to a close.  Personally, I am looking forward to the start of autumn — pumpkin cookies, pumpkin beers, apple crisps and hearty soups mmm!  But, the tastes of summer don’t have to disappear right away. Here is a deliciously fresh salad that can perfectly complement any grilled meat, chicken, or fish, or can be eaten as a light lunch all by itself! It is crisp, sweet, and limey and a perfect way to wrap up summer.

Ingredients (yields 6-8 servings)

• 1 cup fresh or frozen lima beans
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
• zest of one lime
  
• juice of one lime
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 orange pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 nectarines, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 avocado, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• raw kernels from one ear of corn
• 1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

Method

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Boil lima beans until tender, 7-10 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.

Whisk together scallions, lime zest and juice, olive oil, and red pepper in large bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve chilled.

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

How I eat it: Super cold! And it’s been a perfect side to a lobster dinner.

zucchini-ricotta fritters

While putting off homework or housework or I don’t know… writing my Master’s thesis, one of my favorite things to do is browse through food magazines.  This recipe from Food & Wine caught my eye because of the fresh ingredients and the simple and quick cooking process.  This recipe was even more appealing when I found locally grown zucchini on sale at Whole Foods! Like many fruits and veggies, the most nutrients can be gained by leaving the skin on.  However, I had to clean these zucchini up a bit by the time I got around to using them so I ended up with two little naked zucchinis.

Recipe adapted from Mario Batali via Food & Wine Magazine

How I eat it: extra crispy with some freshly squeezed lemon juice on top.

For the first time, I used the disc shredder attachment on a food processor to shred the zucchini and it was so quick and wondrous! It inspired me to use this handy attachment more often — maybe I’ll shred some cheeses for a nice homemade macaroni and cheese..mmm..