a nourishing summer formula
2 new recipes, August produce, and the formula I use to build my summer meals.
Hey, how are you? Welcome to August where everything is very hot, but the produce is oh so good and my book is on the horizon. While the produce this month is very similar, there are some pieces of produce that are at their peak. Here’s everything that you can find and what is best to prioritize.
PEAK FRUIT: The best fruit to buy this month are nectarines, peaches, and melons as they will be at their most sweet and flavorful. Berries and figs are still in play, so enjoy them while they are still here with us.
PEAK VEGETABLES: It’s time. We have corn, peppers, and tomatoes (enjoy your sungolds while they last) at the top of the list. If you can grill, don’t miss out on enjoying some grilled summer squash, zucchini and eggplant especially if you are like me and have a little too much zucchini on hand.
Now, the nice thing about peak produce is that it is also packed with the most nutrients. It’s often why you may hear people tell you to eat with the seasons.
But to really maximize the nutrition (and flavor in this case), I like to use this formula throughout the summer months (I’ve been using this method in a lot of recent recipes):
Produce & Protein + Herbs/Flavor + Tang + Healthy Fat + Serving Vehicle
Summer Herbs/Flavor (potent antioxidants): Cilantro, parsley, dill, oregano, chives, mint, garlic, onions, scallions, shallots, ginger, spices, pickles, capers
Tang (absorption and nutrient enhancers): Lime, lemon, orange, red/white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar
Healthy Fats (nutrient absorption): Avocado, nuts/seeds, nut/seed butters, extra virgin olive oil, olives, hummus
Serving Vehicle (extra fiber): Whole grain/sourdough breads, grains (rice, quinoa, etc.), tortillas, chips, crackers
You can see this in action in some of the following meals:
Smoky Maple Tempeh Hash Breakfast Sandwich
Featuring the smoky maple tempeh hash from my cookbook. Prep these protein loaded sandwiches (20g of protein per sandwich) ahead of time for easy grab and go meals throughout the week to fuel your morning.
My Chocolate Chip Cookies
The newsletter gets to eat first this week. And since we are so close to book launch I thought we could celebrate a little earlier with some cookies. A bigger batch of the single serve cookies from my cookbook. While I am aware that there are a million chocolate chip cookie recipes on the internet, these made me believe that I could stick to the plant-based eating thing for the long term. 15 years later, and I still believe.
Ingredients (yields 9 large cookies)
8 tbsp plant-based butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, spoon and level
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup or more dairy-free dark chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped chocolate bar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F and line two half baking trays with parchment paper.
To a bowl add the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar then use a hand mixer or whisk to cream them together. The resulting mix should appear fluffy in consistency, about 3 minutes.
Add the yogurt and vanilla then use the hand mixer to whip them together until smooth.
To a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
Add the flour mix to the wet ingredients, then use a spatula to scoop the sides of the bowl and fold inward to mix the batter until just about combined. Next, fold in the chocolate chips and chunks, making sure not to over mix the batter. Cover the bowl and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to set the dough.
Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tbsp of the cookie dough) to scoop the dough then roll them into balls and place on the tray making sure there is about 2 inches of space between each dough ball. Press a few more chocolate chunks on top of each cookie as desired.
Place the cookies in the oven for 11-13 minutes (for reference I baked smaller cookies about 1.5 tbsp scoop for 11 minutes and the larger 3 tbsp scoop for 13 minutes until the edges appear slightly golden).
When the cookies are out of the oven, give the tray a few smacks on the counter to flatten the cookies. Let them completely cool in order to firm up before enjoying.
Note: Gram measurements will be included in the blog post I upload later this week.
PREORDER: Not sure where to get the book? Here is a list of retailers carrying it and offering great deals. If you are looking to support some independent booksellers definitely look to your local bookstores or support Bookshop! For the cheapest offering, Walmart is still sharing a signed copy of my book for just $24.48.
FREEBIES: If you plan to snag a copy early, you get access to some extra freebies before they expire! To claim them, don’t forget to fill out the form here. Some new freebies (extra sauces, grocery guide, and more) will be dropping this week, so make sure to hold on to the link.
Want to hear and see more about the book? I recently spoke to Brown Girl Collective and Marcie was incredibly kind and went over the chapters and some of the recipes inside. Check the replay here.
BOOK SIGNINGS/EVENTS: I’d love to meet and celebrate in person! Here are some events that are coming up. Grab tickets before they run out!
Ridgewood, NJ
Bookends (8/17/2024 @ 1PM EST) - I’ll be joining Bookends for a book signing. I will be sharing exclusive recipe cards and extra goodies to those that attend!
Manchester, CT
River Bend Bookshop (8/23/2024 @ 6:30 PM EST) - I’ll be joining River Bend Bookshop and The Firestone Cafe for a night of food talk and tasty vegan bites!
Washington, DC
International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine (8/15-8/16) - One of my favorite plant-based conferences and I’m getting the chance to speak to the dietitians there.
And with that, I hope you have an incredible week ahead. Stay well, stay hydrated, stay nourished.
Peacefully Yours,
Catherine