Easy Family Meals for the Dog Days of Summer!
Feeling a little depleted by the heat & endless humidity? The last thing most of us want to do these days is amp up the temp in our kitchens by cooking... even barbequing may feel like too much of an exertion in the current conditions! No worries- we have some easy meals for you that are popular with all palates and won't leave you with heat exhaustion!
Broccoli Pesto Pasta (nut free)
A refreshing, kid-friendly dish that allows you to introduce broccoli (or sneak it in!) in a whole new context. Any leftover pesto sauce can be used as a sandwich condiment, to dress couscous, or as a topping for chicken breast. For a heartier dish, add frozen peas, toasted pine nuts, diced cherry tomatoes and/or canned tuna (the Italian variety in olive oil is best) or chicken breast chunks.
Serves: 4-6; 15 minutes prep
Ingredients
1.1 lb. DiMartino Paccheri pasta (or tubular pasta of your choice), cooked, with 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water reserved
1 lb Pinwheel Broccoli Florets (frozen)
50-75g grated Parmesan (to taste)
8 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large / 5 small fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Microwave the broccoli on the High setting with 1 Tbsp of water, covered, until it’s tender enough to stick a knife through the stalks (about 1-2 minutes, depending on strength of your microwave)
Add the broccoli to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blitz until smooth.
To make pesto pasta, mix a few spoons of the pasta cooking water into the pesto paste until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste & adjust seasonings if necessary. Mix the pesto into the pasta and top with Parmesan and any additional toppings (peas, tomatoes, pine nuts, tuna, chicken breast, etc.). Serve hot or at room temp.
The pesto can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Chicken Club Sandwich with Bacon Jam & Avocado
As satisfying as a burger, but healthier and quicker and easier to make! Use top quality, humanely-raised chicken for the best flavor. Serve with a side salad or our Seasoned Potato Wedges.
Serves: 1; Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients (per serving)
1 small chicken all-natural breast/serving, pounded thin (or use leftover rotisserie chicken pieces)
salt and pepper
1 sandwich bun, sliced in half (toasted, if preferred)
1 Tbsp mayo
2 leaves lettuce
2 slices tomato
2 Tbsp TBJ Sweet Chili Bacon Jam
1/2 small avocado, sliced or mashed
Instructions
Season the chicken with salt & pepper and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 2-4 minutes per side, or poach in salted water 5-7 minutes until no longer pink inside. Allow chicken to cool for 5 minutes.
Assemble the sandwich with the bacon jam spread on the top bun and avocado spread on the bottom bun; sprinkle avocado with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and enjoy!
Slow Cooker (or Instant Pot) Greek Chicken & Orzo
A set-it-and-forget-it method of producing a hearty but summery one-pot dish without turning on the stove. Healthy and low fat!
Serves: 6; Preparation time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 3 hours, 30 min.
Ingredients
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar (white or brown)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 chicken stock cube , crumbled
2 bay leaves
400 g (14oz) canned chopped tomatoes
250 g (1 cup) fire roasted peppers (can or jar), diced
3 large Locust Point Farms All-Natural chicken breasts, diced
10 Greek Kalamata olives (whole or diced)
210 g (1 cup) uncooked Agorzimi spelt orzo (or other dried orzo or pearl couscous)
1 cup freshly boiled water
Feta or grated Parmesan cheese to serve
Basil or oregano leaves, to garnish
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in your slow cooker Instant Pot if it allows for searing. Add the garlic, salt, sugar, and crumbled stock cube until garlic just begins to color.
Stir in the Flavor Burst, bay leaves, chopped tomatoes, diced peppers, chicken and olives. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours (or on Low for 6) in a Slow Cooker (or on Medium in an Instant Pot.)
Stir in the orzo or cous cous and water and cook for a further 20-30 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Remove the pot from the slow cooker/Instant Pot (otherwise the pasta will continue to cook).
Discard the bay leaves, taste and season. Garnish with chopped oregano or basil leaves and top with feta or grated Parmesan.
Chickpea Salad With Fresh Herbs and Scallions
Adapted from Lidey Heuck’s recipe in the New York Times, this is a lighter, healthier version of classic potato salad, using ready cooked chickpeas in place of potatoes and Greek yogurt to reduce the quantity of mayonnaise. The trick to achieving the creamy texture of traditional potato salad is to mash some of the chickpeas lightly with a fork. It travels well, so it deserves a spot at your next picnic or desk lunch! See optional toppings for a more substantial version.
Serves: 4-6; Preparation time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 15 min, plus 30 min. marination time
Ingredients
½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
4 (10-ounce) pouches Your Organics Ready to Use Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup finely diced celery (about 3 stalks)
½ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (2 to 3 scallions)
Optional Toppings:
sliced boiled egg
diced cucumber
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth, then add the dill and parsley and stir to combine. Set aside.
Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and using a fork, lightly mash about 1/3 of them. Add the celery and scallions and toss.
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well, and set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with more dill and parsley and serve. (If you’re not serving the dish immediately, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)