What's for Dinner?

Did that question make you cringe? I hope not, but if you’re the person in your home who is often tasked with making dinner, I know you get it. Why is that? For me, it seems to come and go in phases. Sometimes I am feeling so inspired and I absolutely love preparing meals. Other times, it feels a little overwhelming and makes me wish I never had to plan a menu again.

Summer is such a time of abundance and I just love the fresh ingredients that are right outside my doorstep or that can be found at the farmer’s market. What about you? What’s growing in your gardens and window-boxes right now? We seem to have never-ending salad greens and herbs right now. The shishitos are finally coming in. And most of the bigger things I have skipped this year and chosen to invest in CSAs. I love popping over to local farm stands and spending Saturday mornings selecting fruits and veggies for the week. This also gives me more space for herbs and native plants in my own garden, which I love so much! Lately I have been harvesting a lot of feverfew and yarrow. The mints are exploding right now as well, which make for lovely daily teas.

I went to a NOFA workshop at a local herb farm over the weekend. I learned so much! We nibbled on Red Clover in the meadows. So tasty. So the wheels have been turning and I’m pondering how to use it in meals and not just tea! Isn’t it gorgeous?

A few weeks ago, I was playing around with a marinade/dressing idea using cilantro. As the days heat up, the cilantro tends to bolt, so I’ve been finding more ways to use it. (I will absolutely eat the flowers as well and save the seeds.) My family has been loving this marinade/dressing because it’s light and flavorful, not too heavy on a hot summer day, and it can be used on salads or to jazz up a rice bowl or even as a dipping sauce. It is also SO easy to make, which is a relief to me on those days when someone asks “what’s for dinner?” and I’m not feeling particularly inspired. Being able to whip this up in a flash and use it in a variety of ways has been a summer game changer.

Maple Lime Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients:

about 1/4 cup maple syrup

juice of 2 limes

a few sprigs of cilantro, chopped

salt to taste

Just 4 ingredients! Lime, Maple Syrup, Cilantro, and Salt. (Feel free to add other herbs you love too!)

Instructions:

So simple. Just stir it all together! You can whisk it or put it in a jar and shake it, or just stir it with a spoon. Adjust the flavors and consistency to your liking-more maple, or more salt, or more lime. And if you have a bigger family or want to keep some on hand for a day or two, feel free to make a bigger batch!

My family has been loving this with rice bowls. Our go-to lately has been chicken, avocado, and shiso with Maple Lime Cilantro Dressing poured on top. It’s also really delicious as a salad dressing or just using a drizzle of it on avocado toast in the morning. It takes just a few minutes to make and tastes delicious so we have been using it a lot this summer.

My summer go-to dinner. Rice bowls with Maple Lime Cilantro Dressing. Shiso has also been a staple in my home this summer. We're growing it on the front porch so it's super easy to pop outside and snip some for meals. It has a really interesting, delicious flavor and it's Mast Cell stabilizing, so it can be supportive for helping with seasonal allergies.

I’d love to hear if you try this! Or if you add your own twist to it! And thank you for being here. I appreciate you. It’s nice to meet in this space and stay connected. Please feel free to reach out anytime. I always love hearing from you. I hope you’re taking good care and I hope you’re hugging your loved ones tight, cherishing moments together, and I hope you’re finding peace. Happy New Moon in Cancer. Sending you all the love and hoping you have some moments for reflection and time to tend to your heart.

*This is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the FDA. This is not intended to diagnose, treat, prescribe, or cure.