Chilled Spinach and Pea Soup with Thai-flavored Shrimp Cakes and Toasted Pine Nut Red Quinoa

Delicious! This gourmet meal did take a little bit of time to prepare, but when my husband and I sat down to enjoy it we discovered that it was well worth the effort. The flavors paired well together yet each dish also stood out on its own. The true star was the spinach and pea soup. We weren’t quite sure how it would turn out, but it was divine and had us eagerly going back for seconds.

Each individual piece could also be made quite easily without the others. This means that if you’re running short on time you can always simplify this overall dinner. Perhaps make the soup but go simple on the rest. Or whip up the shrimp cakes but serve with a salad to move quickly. No matter which route you go you will surely not be disappointed.

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 1 hr 30 min

Salmon with Peach and Tomato Salsa with Blueberry-Grape Gazpacho

Summer is officially here! The two weeks or so of great weather has shifted away as intense heat and humidity have settled in. I can’t say I’m excited about the rising temperature, but I am quite excited about whipping up delicious summer food. Hit up your local farmer’s market, pick up the fresh, local produce, and enjoy these amazing recipes!

In the true vein of summer meals, these recipes not only feature delicious, fresh fruit but also focus on cooler ingredients. The blueberry and grape gazpacho is chilled, as gazpacho always is, but quite sweet. I loved it but you may want to cut back on the honey and dial up the lemon if you do not have a sweet tooth! The salmon, meanwhile, pairs perfectly-grilled fillets with a cold, luscious salsa that will leave you heading back for seconds. And thirds.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 3.5 hrs (mostly chilling time)

Kale, Whole-Wheat Spaghetti, and Poached Eggs

Welcome to the world of kale! This superfood is hot right now, but still relatively new to my world. I have eaten it a few times but have had little experience cooking it. Yet spring is the season for it and its delicious flavor makes it easy to prepare – either raw or cooked. It also packs in a burst of nutrition with absurd amounts of vitamins C and A, an abundance of potassium and some other vitamins, and decent amounts of fiber, protein, and iron. What’s not to like?

I have to give credit for this delicious, vegetarian dinner to my husband, however. While I picked it out and helped instruct him on the fine art of poaching eggs, he made this meal. It turned out wonderfully and I got to relax on the couch and enjoy a fine meal that appeared in front of me. As much as I enjoy cooking this was an excellent way to mix it up!

Difficulty: medium-hard
Time: 1 hr

Rockfish Tacos with Chimichurri

Rockfish is native to both the North Pacific and Atlantic, but is especially plentiful around the DC-VA area. I first had it when I was living in DC. It’s a firm, white fish quite similar to striped bass. If it’s caught in the Atlantic, it also means it’s sustainable! (Some Pacific varieties are too but you’ll have to look closer and ask some questions to be sure.) You can always substitute striped bass or halibut or something similar if you can’t locate rockfish.

I’ve included my recipe for chimichurri, a blend of herbs, below. However if you have a vegetable garden like me you may wish to vary it a bit depending on what you have on hand. Get creative and let us know in the comments how it turns out!

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 1 hr 30 min

Caramelized Lemon Salmon

Salmon = yum! It’s also full of those omega-3s we’re supposed to be eating, making this a great fish to enjoy at dinner. However, always make sure to consult Monterey Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Guide before purchasing your fillets since there are a lot of salmon options and many are not sustainable.

This delicious recipe combines maple syrup with lemon for a caramelized fish that’s absolutely delicious without being overly sweet. I highly recommend whipping up this very fast and easy recipe for yourself or to please guests. Make sure to use the freshest, most high quality syrup you can find for outstanding results.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 25 min

Albacore Tuna with Avocado Salsa and Roasted Baby Artichokes

Tuna is always a tricky one. There are many varieties and many nuances –and many of them are not sustainable. However, if you’re willing to whip out your Sustainable Seafood Guide from the Monterrey Aquarium and ask a few questions you’ll be able to get a sustainable variety just as I did here! That way you can continue to enjoy this delicious fish while ensuring we’ll be able to continue to enjoy it for years to come.

In this situation I served my tuna with avocado salsa – basically guacamole that hasn’t been mashed up. I paired it with some roasted baby potatoes, one of my favorites, and some roasted baby artichokes. Unlike big artichokes the babies don’t have any choke, making them easier to serve. However, you’ll need to pull off a number of the tough outer leaves and cut the sides off the stem before cooking in order to make them safe to eat in their entirety at the end.

Difficulty: medium-hard
Time: 1 hr

Mushroom, Spinach, and Caramelized Onion Enchiladas

Can you believe that I hadn’t ever made enchiladas before this effort? For some reason my Mexican-based entrees always tended towards fajitas, quesadillas, and tacos. Yet, somehow, no enchiladas! I decided to amend this travesty by diving in with these vegetable-heavy treats. They’re also healthy, of course, with just a light bit of cheese and homemade tortillas. By making them from scratch I can control the level of salt (none) that goes in and ensure that they’re 100% corn flour, providing some helpful whole grains to my diet.

I made two big dishes of these since we were having guests over and had plenty of leftovers to take to lunch the next week. The recipe below will make just one 9x13 dish, but you can easily scale this up or down as needed. And, if you are in a pinch, you can always buy corn tortillas instead but I recommend going this route! Things always taste better when you’ve made them from scratch – amazing how some sweat equity adds to the flavor.

Difficulty: medium
Time: 1 hr 15 min