In the spring, gardeners spend weeks preparing soil, selecting varieties and planting neat rows with care. Now that summer is here, all that hard work is finally paying off. Tomatoes are ripening on the vine, zucchini is multiplying by the day and herbs are ready for picking. It’s the perfect time to turn your backyard harvest into fresh, healthy meals.
Here are five easy recipes to help you incorporate your homegrown summer veggies!
Easy Zucchini Quesadillas with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small green zucchini
- 1 large or 2 small yellow zucchini
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 large tortillas (burrito size)
- 8 oz shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
- 5 oz baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Chop the zucchini into bite-sized pieces.
- Warm the olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the zucchini and cook until softened but not mushy, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
- Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with the olive oil (optional) and place on a baking sheet, oiled side down.
- Distribute half of the cheese over one half of each tortilla. Layer the spinach, followed by the zucchini.
- Top with the remaining cheese and fold the tortillas in half.
- Bake for about 6 minutes, then flip each over and bake for another 6-7 minutes until the cheese is melted and the outside of the tortillas are golden brown.
Triple Tomato Flatbread
Ingredients
- 1 tube (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
- Cooking spray
- 3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup soft sun-dried tomato halves (not packed in oil), julienned
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
- 2 cups yellow and/or red cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- Unroll and press the pizza crust into a 15” x 10” rectangle. Transfer to an 18” x 12” piece of heavy-duty foil coated with cooking spray, and lightly spritz the top of the crust as well.
- In a large bowl, toss the chopped plum tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes with olive oil and seasonings.
- Carefully invert the crust directly onto a grill rack over medium heat and remove the foil.
- Grill, covered, for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Turn and grill 1-2 minutes longer until second side begins to brown, then remove from the grill.
- Spoon the plum tomato mixture over the crust, then top with cheese and cherry tomatoes. Return flatbread to the grill. Grill, covered, 2-4 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is melted.
Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2½ cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup Romano cheese (plus extra for serving)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Your preferred pasta (cooked according to package instructions and drained)
Instructions
- Place the pine nuts, garlic, basil, Romano cheese, salt and pepper into a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
- While pulsing, slowly stream the olive oil through the feed tube of the processor until the mixture is completely pureed and smooth.
- Pour the fresh pesto over your warm, drained pasta and toss to coat evenly. Top with extra Romano cheese if desired.
Summer Ratatouille
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 summer squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium onions, cut into wedges
- 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and minced
- Small bunch of basil (plus 6 small leaves for garnish)
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 16 oz canned plum tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ½ lemon
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole pan or dutch oven. When the oil is shimmering, add the chopped eggplant, zucchini, squash and peppers and fry for about 5 to 8 minutes. Do this in batches so that the vegetables brown instead of steaming them. Cook until they are golden and soft. Transfer to a bowl.
- In the same pan, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, basil stalks and thyme, cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are golden. Season with salt and pepper.
- Return the cooked vegetables to the pan. Add the minced jalapeño, fresh chopped tomatoes, canned plum tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Stir gently, cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes until the mixture is reduced and sticky.
- Remove the basil stalks and thyme sprigs. Adjust seasonings to taste. Grate the zest and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon over the top. Finish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
- Serve over rice, noodles, or crusty rustic bread.
Ultimate One-Bowl Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 lightly packed cups shredded zucchini (shred right before adding)
- ⅔ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a standard 9” × 5” loaf pan and line it with a sling of parchment paper for easy removal, if desired.
- In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs, oil, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- Blend in the baking powder, baking soda and salt, so they are mixed in thoroughly, then stir in the flour. When the flour is almost all incorporated, fold in the freshly shredded zucchini and nuts. Stop mixing when there is no dry flour left and the zucchini is evenly dispersed. Do not overmix this batter.
- Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine).
- Let the bread cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before turning out of the pan. Slice and enjoy warm with butter or cream cheese.
From garden to table, these recipes make the most of your hard work. Whether you’re folding fresh zucchini into a quesadilla or letting a rich pot of ratatouille simmer all afternoon, the best ingredient is always the one you grew yourself. So pick what’s ripe, get cooking and enjoy every bite of your harvest!
For more nutrition guidance, our team at the Center for Comprehensive Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery offers personalized Nutrition Services to help you make the most of meals like these.