Take a trip to your local farmers’ market and check out all the fresh fruits and vegetables it has to offer. You will quickly see all the possibilities that you can make for dinner. In fact, I have to stop myself from buying more than I can cook in a week – it all looks so good. Here are some easy dinner suggestions to use up what you bring home from the market.

Dinner 1

Grilled Chicken With Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 25-30 fresh basil leaves
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• 4 boneless chicken cutlets
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat the grill to high and oil the grates

Chop basil (will yield about 6 tablespoons) and tomatoes coarsely.

Place tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the basil in food processor (or blender); process and set aside.

Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

Combine in a shallow bowl: 1 tablespoon of the oil, 2 teaspoons of the garlic and remaining 4 tablespoons of basil. Add chicken and turn to coat evenly. Marinate 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Place chicken on the grill and discard any remaining marinade. Close the lid and grill for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness.

To the processed tomato-basil mixture add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar and remaining garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse 2-3 times or until just blended.

Serve sauce with the chicken.

Couscous with Peas, Lemon and Herbs

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 cup plain couscous
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup cooked fresh peas 
• Salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

Stir in the broth and lemon zest. Bring to a boil.

Stir in the couscous and peas and remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fold the parsley and lemon juice into the couscous. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside the chicken.

Dinner 2

Garden Soup

6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup small onions, peeled and halved
• 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup carrots, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 cups homemade vegetable broth or two 14.5-ounce cans vegetable or chicken broth
• One 14 1/2 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 cup shelled peas 
• Salt and ground black pepper

Directions

In a Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add fennel and onions; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.

Add green beans and carrots; cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth, undrained tomatoes, wine and Italian seasoning.

Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Add peas and simmer about 5 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve in individual soup bowls.

Corn and Ricotta Cakes

Ingredients:

• 2 ears fresh corn-on-the-cob, kernels removed from the cob
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped fine
• 4 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup self-rising unbleached flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions

In a medium-sized bowl, combine corn, basil, ricotta, eggs, flour and a pinch of black pepper.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.

Carefully add spoonfuls of the corn mixture to the hot pan.

Cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove cakes to a serving platter when they finish cooking.

Season with Kosher salt.

Serve with low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt on the side, if desired.

Dinner 3

Grilled Lamb Chops with Vegetable Bulgur

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup Bulgar wheat
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 4 lamb loin chops, cut 1 1/2 inches thick
• 2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning, divided
• Olive oil
• 1 ½ cups small spinach leaves 
• One 7 ounce jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained and coarsely chopped

Directions

In a medium saucepan combine broth, bulgur and onion. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Stir 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning, the spinach and roasted peppers into the bulgur mixture. Cover and keep warm.

Preheat an outdoor grill to high and oil the grill grates. Turn off one side of the grill for indirect cooking.

Trim fat from the meat. Brush the chops with olive oil and sprinkle the meat with 1 teaspoon of the lemon-pepper seasoning.

Start the lamb on the indirect side of the grill. When the meat reaches 110°F for medium-rare on an instant read meat thermometer, moved the chops to the hot side of the grill.

They’ll quickly sear and come up to the desired temperature of 120°—130°F. Let them rest for 10 minutes off the grill on a platter before serving.

To serve: Divide bulgur mixture among 4 dinner plates. Top each with a grilled lamb chop.

Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large or 3 medium cucumbers, peeled
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt  
• 1/3 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Directions

Halve cucumbers lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Slice crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick pieces.

Place the cucumber slices in a colander set over a bowl and toss with the salt; let stand 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, dill, vinegar and pepper.

Remove cucumbers from the colander and pat dry with paper towels.

Add to the bowl with the yogurt dressing; toss to combine and serve with the grilled lamb chops.

Dinner 4

Pasta with Shrimp and Seasonal Vegetables

Bread sticks would be great with this dinner.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen medium wild caught shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 3 tablespoons olive oil,  divided
• 8 ounces fresh, small, thin green beans, trimmed
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 4 oz linguine pasta

Directions

Cook the pasta according to directions for al dente. Drain.

For the sauce:

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon peel, lemon juice and capers. Set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and Italian seasoning to the skillet; cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Add shrimp; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Add tomatoes; cook for 1 minute more. Add the cooked pasta and the sauce. Toss gently and serve.

Dinner 5

Grilled Sweet Potato Packets

Ingredients

• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 (24 x 12-inch) sheet nonstick aluminum foil
• Half of a 10 oz bag of frozen sweet potato fries (such as Alexia brand)
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Preheat the grill to high and oil the grates. Turn off one of the burners for indirect cooking.

Place peppers and onions in the center of the foil sheet. Top with the sweet potatoes, seasoned salt, pepper and cheese.

Bring up foil sides; double-fold the top and the ends to seal the package.

Place on the grill (seam side up) over indirect heat; grill 30 minutes or until the fries are hot and the cheese is melted.

Grilled Steak with Artichoke Topping

Ingredients

• 1 (7.5-oz) jar marinated artichokes, undrained and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Combine artichokes, onions and garlic in a small skillet. Heat on low and, then, keep warm until the steaks are cooked.

About 10 minutes before the potatoes are cooked, plan on cooking the steaks on the direct side of the grill.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper.

Place the steaks on the direct side of the grill and cook 5 minutes; turn and cook 3-4 minutes more minutes or until the temperature of the meat reaches 125°F on an instant read meat thermometer for medium rare.

Remove steaks from the grill and place them on a serving platter. Let stand 5 minutes; slice and top with the warm artichoke mixture.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in artichokes, Balsamic Vinegar, Beef, Cheese, Chicken, cucumbers, green beans, Healthy Italian Cooking, lemon, onion, peas, peppers, shrimp, Soup, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, vegetable, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tags: garden fresh dinners, Grilling, pasta, soup, whole grains