Summer Recipes – Crowd Pleasers

Every city in the world may not be as hot as Los Angeles is right now but man oh man, have we been on a heat wave! Since you’re bound to go through a Summer season of your own I wanted to share with you my favorite summer recipes that are definite crowd pleasers.

So for your next girls day, catch up brunch, bbq, or BYOB- I’ve got you! These will take you no time at all and you probably already have the ingredients to get cookin’. Here’s a Summer ‘salad’ and two of the yummiest and easiest cocktails.

Disclaimer: if you know me than you already know this ‘salad’ is not an actual traditional leafy green ‘salad’. It’s one of my go-to summer salads though and one of my best girlfriends introduced me to it!

Lentil Salad- this is a cold saladĀ 

  1. one package of cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s
  2. one whole bruschetta tub- drained of juices
  3. chopped red onion and cucumbers
  4. chopped kale would be yummy here too with some sprinkles of vinaigrette but we were out
  5. salt & pepper
  • mix all together, top with some fresh basil, enjoy with home made tortilla chips (like we did) or by itself, or even over a real traditional leafy salad šŸ˜‰


Summer Spritzer – so refreshing!Ā 

  1. your favorite roseĀ“ wine
  2. sparkling water (I used watermelon because yummm)
  3. whatever fresh fruit you like
  • fill your glass 2/3 of the way with the wine and top with bubbly water and fruit


Homemade espresso martini frappeĀ  – slushy and perfect for hot days when all you wanna do is crunch on ice

  1. cold brew, iced coffee concentrate, or espresso shot
  2. whatever milk you like, I used almond coconut for creaminess
  3. 4-5 ice cubes
  4. drizzle of maple syrup
  5. Kahlua – I used a whole shot just because
  • combine coffee, milk, ice, and maple syrup into a blender. Top with Kahlua and stir, garnish with espresso beans. ENJOY!

P.S. did you know today is National Tequila Day?! One of my favorite adult beverages has a whole day! For my fellow wine moms/people out there, this is for you. I’m concocting an entire recipe list for tequila don’t you worry!Ā 

 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Almond Salad

STRAWBERRY ALMOND TRUFFLE SALAD

  • Summer is fast approaching and between the warmer weather and the ToneItUp bikini series that we started,Ā this salad has been a staple in our meals this past week. It’s easy to make, super refreshing, and SUPER delicious!I took a homemade truffle dressing recipe from my friend Linz, altered it by an ingredient so that my vegan child could enjoy Ā it also, tossed in some almonds for crunch, and fresh strawberry slices for an extra kick! For some more protein I also added in some shredded chicken in my bowl!

    delicious healthy salad
    Ingredients:Ā 

  • baby kale
  • arugula
  • Blue Diamond sliced almonds
  • fresh strawberries
    Truffle Dressing-Ā 
  • 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tsp white truffle oil
  • 1 1/2 chopped fresh chives
  • 1 1/2 tsp Annie’s organic dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    Optional:
  • blueberries
  • shredded parmesan cheese
  • shredded chickenMethod:Ā 
  • Put the salad into a large bowl
  • Combine the ingredients for the truffle dressing in a different bowl and then combine the two and toss
  • Add in the optional ingredients if you choose
  • ENJOY!!!!!fresh salad yaasss!

And tadaaa! There you have it! Try this out and let me know how you like it and leave it in the comments any alterations you make to the recipe so I can try them too!

Hugs!!!

 

xoxo – Jess