I absolutely love the old 1934 song Summertime 🎵🎵 (written by George Gershwin and performed in the musical Porgy and Bess)—it perfectly captures the easygoing vibe of the season.
There's something about summer that makes everything feel a bit more relaxed: simple dinners out on the deck, lighter meals, golden sunlight stretching well into the evening, leisurely evening walks, and casual get-togethers with friends, and even a lazy afternoon nap.
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| Not our dog... just got the photo of him |
But I’ll be honest—when the temperatures start climbing into the high 90s (like they have for the past month), my motivation to cook drops fast.
My kitchen has definitely noticed the change... These days, I’ve been leaning heavily into no-fuss, no-heat meals like fresh salads, chilled gazpacho, simple sandwiches, and veggies. Real cooking? Not so much.
Real Heat
When I was growing up, we didn’t have air conditioning—neither in the house nor the car (1950's). Summer meant spending evenings outside on the "stoop"c , sipping ice-cold lemonade, eating popsicles, and chatting with our next-door neighbors. We lived in a row houses, so we were close to each other in every way.
While the adults swapped stories and talked for hours, we kids played endless games of hide-and-seek.
On Sundays—my dad’s only day off—we would pile into the car and my dad would take us for long drives along the shady stretches off the Delaware River towards New Hope, Pa. My mom didn’t drive, so these outings were something we really looked forward to. We’d roll down all the windows (no A/C, of course) and let the breeze rush in, cooling off as we soaked in the simple joy of a Sunday ride.
Yes, it is now "summertime" and the living is easier because we do have air-conditioning in our home and in the car. Yet, I tend to feel lazier in the real hot weather and try to minimize cooking.
I'm sharing some easy summer recipes with links to the recipe. For protein, I tend to add tofu or open a can of chickpeas or black beans and add it to salads.
Corn, Cucumber, olive Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing (yum)
Rice with avocado, chickpeas, sesame seeds, avocado and spices
Quinoa Tabouleh salad (lovely)
Jersey Corn, fresh basil, and Tomato Salad (The best!!)
Frozen Kiwi Mojito (Refreshing with or without alcohol)
Red Cabbage Potato Salad (no mayo- a lemon dressing)
Sushi in a Bowl: Perfect Easy Summer Meal
Mango Peach Summer Salad (outstanding and tasty)
I share easy plant-based healthy recipes that meet gluten-free standards.
