These easy meal ideas are perfect for those hot days when you just want to get away from the kitchen. Make a healthy and easy summer vegetarian recipe in less than 30 minutes!
A summer vegetarian recipe to keep you feeling light on hot days
Do you like recipes with zucchini and fresh salads with cucumbers? From June to September, celebrate the abundance of beautiful summer produce with a vegetarian meal! Perfect for lunch and dinner in the garden, you will find two quick preparations that contain delicious seasonal vegetables.
Zucchini pizza
Zucchini pizza bites will definitely find their place on the table on weeknights or as an afternoon snack.
In fact, one of the reasons we love zucchini is because they hold a lot of water and summer is when we need hydration the most! They are also rich in vitamins A and C, as well as manganese, copper and folate. If you have more time to prepare these snacks, sprinkle each vegetable slice with a little salt and let sit for a few minutes before decorating. This will help remove excess moisture.
Ingredients:
- 1 large zucchini
- ⅔ cup marinara or pizza sauce (¾-1 teaspoon marinara or pizza sauce per slice, depending on size)
- ½ package vegan mozzarella (¾-1 teaspoon per slice, depending on size)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (~¼-½ tsp oil per slice, depending on size)
- fine salt and ground black pepper to taste
Optional extras:
- Italian seasoning
- vegan parmesan cheese
- finely chopped vegetables such as red pepper or mushrooms
- black olives
- vegan breadcrumbs
- fresh basil (for decoration after cooking)
Instructions:
1. First heat the oven to 260°C. Then line 2 half baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
2. Cut the courgettes into 1 cm slices. Place them on two lined baking sheets. Zucchini slices should not touch each other.
3. Next, add ¾ teaspoon marinara or pizza sauce to each zucchini slice. Try to keep the sauce in the center of the circle, leaving some of the zucchini around the edges.
4. Add ¾-1 teaspoon of cheese to the center of the zucchini rings. Drizzle ¼-1/2 tsp of oil over the cheese (this will help the cheese brown). Sprinkle all the circles lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Next, add all desired toppings.
6. Bake for 7 minutes, taking care not to burn the cheese. Remove from the oven when the cheese is golden and bubbly. Garnish with fresh basil if desired. Enjoy hot.
Store leftovers from this summer vegetarian recipe once they’ve cooled to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven for best results. Best fresh.
Summer vegetarian recipe: Cold cucumber soup
Very hot summer days are coming! Have you tried making cold cucumber soup in this context? In the warmer months, it is often served in fancy restaurants. You might be surprised how easy it is to make at home! Put everything in a blender and chill in the fridge until serving.
This is indeed the perfect recipe to use up any garden cucumbers you may have this summer. These vegetables are low in calories and contain good amounts of water and soluble fiber, making them very hydrating and great for weight loss and overall health.
Ingredients:
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 ½ cups vegan yogurt
- 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 1 shallot, peeled and chopped
- 1 fresh garlic clove
- 1/3 cup fresh dill
- 1/4 cup fresh curly parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more for drizzling
- sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Optional: pine nuts, green onion, freshly chopped cucumber for decoration.
Instructions:
1. First, carefully cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Then scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon, leaving the pulp behind.
2. Second, cut the seeded cucumbers into pieces and roughly chop the rest together with the shallots.
3. Then put coarsely chopped cucumbers, yogurt, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, dill, parsley and oil in a high-speed blender. Then blend until you get a smooth puree.
4. Then pour this puree into a large bowl. Season to taste with a little sea salt and white pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
5. Divide the cold soup into small bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped cucumber and green onion, if desired. Finally, drizzle more olive oil and sprinkle pine nuts; serve immediately.
Photo credit : simple-veganista.com
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