I’ve got you covered with well-tested, health-conscious recipes that satisfy everyone at your summer gatherings. Below are my best creative sauces, salads, sides, chicken, fish, shrimp, vegan options and tempting desserts.
Remember these dishes through the warm months. Cooking for yourself can be a joy—try a new technique or ingredient and enjoy the process.
Fresh Cherry BBQ Sauce — Over Chicken & Veggie Kebobs
This fresh cherry BBQ sauce is vibrant, velvety and full-bodied. Spoon it over perfectly grilled chicken or use it as a bold nacho topping for an extra crowd-pleasing treat.
I’m a big rhubarb fan. Fresh seasonal rhubarb blends beautifully into a tangy, zesty barbecue sauce. Lather it on grilled chicken breasts toward the end of cooking for a creative seasonal topping everyone will enjoy.
Spoon this sunflower satay over chicken, shrimp or all-veggie skewers. Made with sunflower seed butter, it’s nutty-sweet but peanut-free. Quick to prepare in a food processor and excellent over noodles as well.
This beet tzatziki works two ways: as a sauce for skewers and as a colorful, healthy dip for crudités. It’s bright, flavorful and visually striking.
Homemade barbecue sauce can beat store-bought easily. This smoky apricot-tomato version delivers classic American barbecue flavor with better ingredients and a fresh taste.
Nutritional Guidelines & Thoughts on Common Additives
Making your own condiments and sauces avoids many questionable additives found in commercial products. Below are a few ingredients I avoid and why:
- High Fructose Corn Syrup — a highly processed sweetener often derived from GMO corn; it increases sweetness and shelf life but is best avoided.
- Modified Cornstarch — a processed stabilizer and thickener that can be treated with chemicals; I prefer plain, non-GMO cornstarch when needed.
- Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor — “natural flavors” are often industrially produced to mimic real flavors; I choose real smoke or whole ingredients instead.
- Caramel Coloring — used for color but created by heating sugar with additives; I avoid products that rely on this ingredient.
- Potassium Sorbate — a synthetic preservative used to inhibit mold; while effective, it’s another additive I prefer to skip in homemade foods.
When you prepare sauces, dressings and marinades at home you control the ingredients and keep flavors fresh and wholesome.
If there’s a party, this jerk chicken is what I grill. The marinade explodes with Jamaican flavors—hot chiles, allspice, cinnamon and thyme. For best results, marinate overnight so the flavors deepen.
This cherry-based basting and dipping sauce is perfect during cherry season: not overly sweet, richly flavored and beautifully colored.
Brighten simple grilled fish with a slightly spicy, slightly sweet blueberry salsa. It’s low in fat and full of antioxidants—vivid colors and textures make it a winner.
Cedar plank grilling gives salmon a lush smoky aroma. The quick pistachio-tarragon-lavender gremolata adds bright, herbaceous contrast and takes only minutes to prepare.
Explore bold Mexican flavors with skewered shrimp and mildly spicy Padrón peppers. Finish with an ancho chile compound butter and a roasted pepper salsa. Shishito peppers work well here too.
This is the ultimate grilled veggie burger: falafel-inspired seasoning with a lemon-tahini sauce. It holds together on the grill and delivers bold flavor.
A showstopper: gently smoked beets paired with a zesty avocado-citrus vinaigrette, garnished with petite greens and edible flowers. Composed salads like this are simple enough for weeknights and elegant for entertaining.
Grill corn in its husk to keep kernels plump and juicy while adding a gentle smoky note. Baste with tomato-basil butter that melts into the warm corn for irresistible flavor.
Softened butter mixed with grated tomato and freshly sliced basil brightens grilled corn or roasted vegetables—add the basil right before serving to preserve its aroma.
A perfect grilled potato side dish: fingerlings roasted with caramelized shallots and garlic, finished with crispy kale. Easy to steam, toss and grill in foil packets.
Tender-crisp peas with a smoky char, finished with a zesty hazelnut-sesame sauce. This bright side also works well with grilled chicken. Look for organic sugar snap peas at farmers’ markets or specialty stores.
A must-try summer salad: grilling peaches concentrates their sweetness and adds depth. Pair grilled yellow and white peaches with a sweet-tart vinaigrette for a simple, fresh dish.
This classic early-20th-century recipe gets a modern update with fresh pink shrimp and a zippy Louis sauce. It’s lovely as a main course or an appetizer.
A bright, crisp coleslaw of summer market vegetables tossed in a light non-dairy creamy dressing—an ideal BBQ side.
Who doesn’t love pizza fresh off the grill? A crisp crust topped with a raw garden tomato sauce, sliced cooked garlic, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil makes a delicious and flexible summer meal.
Sweet endings
I adore rhubarb. This easy rhubarb tart features a buttery shortbread cookie crust that crumbles like a cookie and showcases seasonal fruit at its best.
Creamy, refreshing and irresistibly delicious, this vegan mint chip chocolate chip ice cream is also naturally gluten-free—an ideal way to finish a summer meal.
Enjoy the 4th of July holiday in celebration of independence.
Karen
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”