Summer Produce + Recipes

Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of summer temperatures but summer produce? I'm in! Summer provides us with some of the freshest and most delicious produce and with that, gorgeous recipes are born. Whether you're lucky enough to live somewhere where produce is grown abundantly or not, this is the season for some of the very best. Peppers, eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, you're not short for summer produce options.

Let's pick a few summer produce items and some recipes to go along with them!

Bell Peppers

I love bell peppers. I eat them raw almost every day. Sweet, juicy, and full of vitamins, they're really delicious and versatile. Roast them, sauté them, stuff them, they're in season and absolutely gorgeous. I avoid the green peppers unless a recipe requires them, in favour of the red, yellow, and orange varieties. 

Easy Mexican Stuffed Peppers

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/easy-mexican-stuffed-peppers

Featuring a combination of pantry and fresh items, this recipe couldn't be easier and lets those gorgeous summer peppers take center stage. Stuffed with a combination of Mexican pinto beans, Old El Paso Mexican inspired rice, cheese, and enchilada sauce, and baked until tender and gorgeous. 

They're so stunning and so easy to make, you really can't go wrong. 

RRP Hummus

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/roasted-red-pepper-hummus

It's so easy to snatch a container of hummus from the grocer, but in all honesty, it's equally as easy to whip up your own. Canned chickpeas, seasonings, roasted red peppers, tahini, lemon, garlic, and some salt. It really couldn't be easier and you get this velvety smooth, beautiful hummus infused with that delicious roasted pepper flavour.

Break out the veggies / pitas or crackers and get to dipping!

Pesto Rotini with RRP Sauce

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/pesto-rotini-with-roasted-pepper-tomato-sauce

I love a good tomato sauce, don't get me wrong, but the addition of roasted red peppers brings something else to the party. This otherwise simple pesto tossed rotini gets a fresh pop of flavour from the easiest roasted pepper tomato sauce out there.

You can easily roast your own gorgeous peppers as they ARE in season, but don't hesitate to reach for the jar of RRP's to make this recipe. No shame in that game!

C O R N 

When I see those fresh, local cobs of corn at the market, my heart skips a beat. Some may argue that corn isn't even real food, and you know what, they may be right. However, for me, there's nothing I enjoy more than fresh, cob corn. Sweet, juicy, delicious, and great just as it is, or infused in to a delicious summer recipe. Where my cob corn lovers at?

Sundried Tomato Pesto & Corn Flatbread

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/sundried-tomato-pesto-sweet-corn-flatbread

Corn is good on or with everything, at least that's what I believe. For this gorgeous, summery flatbread, the corn provides not only colour, but pops of juicy flavour and crunch. You've got the sundried tomato pesto, fresh basil, juicy corn, red onion, and pepperoncini in every crispy, delicious bite. 

​You've got to try this easy recipe!

Chipotle Elotes

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/chipotle-elotes

Elotes, or Mexican Street Corn, is literally one of my favourite things on this planet. I remember my first time trying it while I was at Toronto Pride. There was a random booth in the middle of the parade and I remember being drawn to the smell. Upon my first bite, I was an Elotes slut for life.

Roasted or grilled corn, rolled in chipotle mayo, Tajin, herbs, grana padano, zest, and tangy feta cheese. Every bite is a juicy flavour explosion and makes something like corn that is already perfect, that much better.

Elotes Fritters

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/elotes-corn-fritters

If you love Mexican Street Corn as much as I do, then I just know you're going to love my Street Corn Fritters! 

Cheesy corn fritters fried to golden brown perfection and finished with all of those glorious street corn flavours including sour cream, cilantro, Tajin, feta, and grana padano, They're an addictive little snack that utilizes fresh summer corn when it's at its freshest / peak. Don't sleep on this recipe!

ZUCCHINI

Yellow Squash & Scallion Spaghetti

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/zucchini-scallion-spaghetti

Everything about this spaghetti dish screams summer to me. First, you've got that beautiful yellow squash that makes up most of the "sauce" along with scallions and other simple ingredients like basil, citrus, and grana padano.

​This dish eats nice and light, takes minimal time, and is just so pretty isn't it? Definitely one of my fave spaghetti dishes I've created to date.

Cheesy Brown Rice Zucchini Boats

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/cheesy-brown-rice-zucchini-boats

Stuffed zucchini recipes are easy, delicious, and quick to put together in most cases. Zucchini makes the most delicious and tender vessel for whatever filling you're going to stuff inside of it.

My Cheesy Brown Rice Boats are as described; stuffed with a combination of cheeses, crunch from walnuts, and tender brown rice, baked under a layer of crumbs until golden and perfect. Make sure to add this recipe to your summer rotation/

EGGPLANT

Skillet Moussaka 

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/skillet-moussaka

Moussaka is one of my favourite dishes on this planet. Layers of roasted potatoes, summer produce including eggplant and zucchini, vegetarian meat sauce, and a creamy, luscious béchamel layer. 

For this variety, I did it all in my skillet which was so easy to put together! You guys need to try this one, it's hearty, wonderful, and features some glorious summer veggies!

Eggplant Parm with Sausage & Roasted Pepper Sauce

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/eggplant-parm-with-sausage-roasted-pepper-sauce

It was time to give my original eggplant parm recipe a 2023 upgrade and this recipe is literal perfection. Featuring a Beyond Meat sausage sauce that's full of flavour, crispy, air fried eggplant, melty mozz, and grana padano, baked until glorious and perfect and served over spaghetti. This has been one of my fave recipes of the year to date, I hope y'all enjoy it!

I hope this little collection of summer produce recipes helps you to take advantage of what's in season. I try my best to include what's in season in my recipes because produce is truly its best when it is in its peak season. 

HAPPY VEG