Summer brings an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables to grocery stores, farmers’ markets and local gardens. That means more opportunities to add good tasting, heart-healthy foods to your everyday meals. Tomatoes, corn, eggplant and bell peppers are now at their best. Use them in your main dish recipes to add color and nutrition.
Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches with Slaw
4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pork tenderloin
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
- Ketchup, mustard and/or pickles
Directions
Cut pork crosswise into four pieces. Place one pork piece between two pieces of clear plastic wrap. Pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet, working from center to edges until 1/4 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining pork pieces.
In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Dip meat into the flour mixture, turning to coat.
In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add pork; cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until no pink remains and juices run clear, turning once. (If all the pork slices won’t fit in the skillet, cook in two batches, adding additional oil if necessary.)
To serve: place pork pieces in buns and top with ketchup, mustard and/or pickles. Serve slaw on the side.
Slaw
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
- 2 cups packaged shredded broccoli slaw mix or cabbage slaw mix
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
- 3 tablespoons minced red or green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
Directions
In a screw-top jar combine vinegar, honey, salt, black pepper and bottled hot pepper sauce.
Cover and shake well.
In a medium bowl combine broccoli, green onion, bell pepper and parsley. Pour vinegar mixture over the vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Cover and chill before serving.
Corn-Mushroom Risotto with Grilled Chicken
Make 2 extra grilled chicken breasts on the weekend and save for this dish.
2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 small skinless, boneless grilled chicken breast halves (8 to 10 ounces total)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 1/2 cup fresh corn, cut off one cob
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup Arborio rice
- 1/3 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1/3 cup fresh snow pea pods or green beans, halved crosswise
- 1/4 cup diced tomato
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a medium saucepan combine the water, broth and wine; heat over high heat until hot but not boiling. Reduce heat to low; keep warm.
In another medium saucepan heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add corn and onion; cook 6 minutes or until corn is tender and onion is lightly browned. Add rice, mushrooms, thyme, pepper and garlic; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until rice is golden brown, stirring frequently.
Carefully add 1/2 cup of the broth mixture, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
Add another 1/2 cup of the broth mixture. Cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes more or until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Continue adding broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and cooking until all of the liquid has been absorbed before adding more, stirring often. (This should take 18 to 20 minutes total.)
When rice is fully cooked but still slightly firm, remove from the heat. Stir in pea pods or green beans, tomato and Parmesan cheese. Dice chicken and stir into rice mixture. Serve.
Swordfish and Squash Kabobs
You can serve this dish over rice or orzo pasta or with a simple green salad on the side.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds skinless swordfish steaks, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 pounds zucchini and yellow summer squash, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
- 12 cherry tomatoes
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Add swordfish and toss well to coat; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat cooking and oil the grill grates.
Thread marinated swordfish, squash rounds and tomatoes onto skewers. (If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before assembling.)
Discard excess marinade. Grill kabobs over direct heat, turning once, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Summer Vegetable Bake
Serve with a green salad.
4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet onions
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 eggplant (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, halved lengthwise
- 3 large summer squash (combination of zucchini and yellow squash), ends trimmed
- 1/2 pound russet (baking) potatoes
- 3 plum tomatoes
- 6 ounces feta cheese
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F . Peel and halve onions; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 oven-safe casserole.
Cut eggplant, squash, potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Alternate vegetables on top of the onion mixture in 1 layer; packed tightly.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and crumble feta cheese on top. Bake 15 more minutes uncovered. Cool slightly and cut into servings.
Linguine with Scallops, Red Bell Peppers and Broccoli
4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine
- 1 bunch broccoli florets
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound scallops, tough muscle removed, rinsed
- 3 tablespoons flour
- Salt and black pepper
- 6 garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water, about 8-9 minutes for al dente; add broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water.
Drain.Heat the oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Coat scallops with flour and season with salt and pepper. Saute 2 minutes per side; remove to a plate and set aside.
Add the garlic and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until pepper softens.
Add pasta, parsley, lemon juice, scallops and the pasta water. Toss gently to combine and simmer 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour into a large serving bowl. Add cheese and toss. Serve.
