Rosemary Fingerlings, Pan-Fried Tilapia with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes, and Sauteed Snap Peas with Goat Cheese

Well, it turns out I didn't forget *all* the pictures recently! And this one makes me hungry as soon as I look at it. Of course, tomatoes are one of my favorites, but who doesn't want to dig in when they see this pile of freshly sauteed tomatoes and basil? In fact, I think you'll find that all of the recipes below are healthy, delicious winners that will leave you eagerly wanting more.

I whipped up some pan-fried tilapia to go with this luscious topping of tomatoes and basil and then added some sugar snap peas with goat cheese and the always delectable fingerling potatoes - this time with some rosemary. In fact, it was dried and kept from my summer garden, making it taste extra special as does anything grown on your own. Each piece of this meal can be made separately or make them all for a dinner to impress.

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 45 min

Cod over Veggie Ragout

It's been a while! Turns out, heading up to another city and commuting long distance while attending grad school leaves little time for cooking and even less time for blogging. However, while the grad school continues the long distance is temporarily gone so hopefully there will be some more healthy, delicious posts coming your way. This meal definitely fits the bill though it appears I'm a little out of practice and forgot to take pictures... of this as well as a few others coming up. Please excuse this lapse in memory!

I'm not usually a big fan of cod but when I ended up with some fresh fillets I decided to dress up this simple fish with a warming veggie ragout that hits the spot when it's cold outside. And, when we sat down to eat, my husband and I ended up devouring this as fast as possible. So make it right away and let us know in the comments if you find other delicious vegetable combinations.

I served this over cous cous, but you can easily substitute your favorite grain. Try some quick-cooking brown rice or perhaps some quinoa.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 30 min

Guacamole Stuffed Beet Veggie Burgers

I had never made veggie burgers before, always eating mine frozen out of a box. And while I really enjoy a lot of the frozen varieties, these are definitely worth the effort if you have the time. The're made with beets so they are actually a bit sweet with a crunchy texture on the outside and a creamy inside. Of course, if you don't like beets these aren't for you, but if you do, you're in for a treat!

I also made use of my burger stuffer recently purchased from Sur la Table, but you certainly don't need it. While I will call for it in the recipe below you can easily just put the guacamole on top rather than inside. However, of course, it won't be as fun without an additional fun gadget!

Time: 45 min
Difficulty: medium

Cumin Paiche with Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

I'd never had paiche before, but when it popped up at Whole Foods I couldn't resist trying this new creation. Turns out, it's one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. It comes from South America and is also known as pirarucu or arapaima. It's mild in flavor, fairly firm, and cooks quite quickly. While it may not be particularly different from other white fish, it's still definitely worth trying at least once for the novelty!

I also made a cucumber watermelon salad which is absolutely perfect on a hot summer day. It's fresh, juicy, and tantalizing and the mint adds a spark of freshness that is completely irresistible. You'll find yourself eagerly gobbling it down, with the sweetness broken perfectly by the red onion, so definitely make extra if you're planning on leftovers!

Time: 20 min
Difficulty: medium-easy

King Crab Salad

I don’t get the opportunity to make crab very often due to its price tag, but it’s absolutely delicious and I leap at the opportunity whenever it presents itself. In this case, some very affordable King Crab at Wegman’s gave me the chance to feature it and, in conjunction with my husband, I came up with this delicious summer salad idea. It combines some incredible, fresh, local produce (well… except for avocado…) with the delicious, naturally buttery crab. It’s truly divine.

Of course, customization is highly encouraged. You can sub in or out for your favorite additions- just let us know in the comments if you find an especially delicious variable that we should all make sure to include next time!

Difficulty: easy
Time: 20 min

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

It's time for ice cream again! With summer raging on in a heat wave that seems to have been going for at least a decade, there is nothing better than enjoying fresh, homemade ice cream. The effort makes it taste even better! So I dove back in for my second ever attempt at making homemade ice cream, this time gearing up for a low fat mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Heading into this, I also specifically wanted to make this ice cream with fresh mint rather than flavoring. For the first time in 11 years I enjoy a bit of a backyard (a city-sized backyard, of course) and am growing an abundance of herbs. The mint, of course, is utterly thriving and I look for any and all opportunities to include it in meals. Here, it turned out wonderfully. The ice cream has a wonderfully strong but tasty mint flavor and will leave you feeling refreshed even on the hottest of days.

Unfortunately, we gobbled down the ice cream so quickly that I once again forgot to take a picture... I guess I'll just have to make it again!

Difficulty: medium
Time: 4 hrs (1 hr making and 3 hrs chilling)

Mint-Pesto Fettuccine with Cherry Tomatoes

While our tomatoes are very slow to grow and ripen, our mint is truly flooding our small garden out back. Without a real yard we are growing everything in pots, but the mint is really pushing the limits of its home! It grows as fast as we can possibly eat it, or possibly even faster. Yet, it’s delicious and enticing and keeps us playing with new recipes. Here we try a mint pesto, a first for me, and it works out wonderfully.

I also tried out the garden delight pasta as opposed to my typical use of whole wheat pasta. These noodles are made from a variety of vegetables, providing nutrients and protein into a meal that may not have had a ton of them otherwise. With the toppings I can’t say I tasted a stark difference, but the entire meal was delicious so I’m sure that contributed without me directly noticing it.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 20 min