basil

Summer Orzo Salad

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I just love summer!  We are right in the thick of it now with temps in the 90s and humid.  But I’m not complaining. I’m thankful for the season of laid back summer days, running around in the yard well into the evening and taking in the small moments.  Even if it’s for just a few minutes, I take time to be in the garden a few nights a week.  This is my meditation in the summer.  This week we’ve harvested plenty of cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and green beans.   And I took some time to be present and appreciate this season.  These moments are the beautiful, ordinary stuff of life.

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This salad is great for summer picnics and will not take a lot of time in the kitchen! I take this salad to so many picnics and potlucks because it’s so easy to make.  The “dressing” is really versatile and you can change up the vegetables to what you have.  I’ve made this with asparagus, spinach with or without the cucumber, different herbs…you name it.

 

 

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Ingredients:

Dressing:  1/4 c. red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tsp honey- whisk this all together in a bowl or shake it up in a jar

1 lb of orzo, cooked, drained and cooled

1 quart of cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 cup of fresh basil, chopped

1 cucumber, seeded and cubed

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup chopped green onion or chives

Mix it all together and enjoy!!

 

 

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Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Muffins

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It’s June, strawberries are out and the weather is warmer!!  Ahh, it’s a nice change of pace from the chilly and rainy spring!  Fresh, local strawberries are my absolute favorite. Since I’m the only person in Lancaster County who does not make strawberry jelly, I love to find different ways to use strawberries to take advantage of their short season.  I made these baked oatmeal muffins on a warm and humid Sunday morning and ate them happily outside with some strawberry and basil infused water ( basically because it was too early for a strawberry basil margarita :-).  I would usually never take the time to make infused water, but today I had a minute and it was great to sit outside and actually enjoy my food and drink using ingredients from the garden.

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For the basil infused water, simply dice strawberries and place basil leaves and strawberries in a jar, add water and ice and enjoy right away or let it infuse for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.

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Ingredients for the Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Muffins

3/4 cup mashed ripe banana

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey (if you like more sweetness, increase the amount)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup diced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all of the ingredients together.  Spoon into 12 muffin cups.  Bake for 22-25 minutes, until firm.  Enjoy!