Refreshing Summer Recipes

Refreshing Summer Recipes

Our favourite Summer Recipes to keep you feeling fresh  

Enjoying your Summer so far this year?  

Here at La Sierra, we are staying cool in our natural alpaca wear while enjoying home-cooked meals and refreshing drinks during the warm weather! There's nothing worse than being caught outside, blazed by the heat, parched, and feeling heavy from quick fast-food choices! Because of our ethics and values at La Sierra, we want to make sure we are doing our part to be kind to the earth! We already proudly make our clothes and products from sustainable natural fibres, and now we want talk about the yummy natural deliciousness that we consume, following our values of living as close to the earth as possible. 

Whether we're on the move due to work meetings, other appointments, meeting friends or just lounging in the backyard being kissed by the sun, we can sometimes neglect ourselves when it comes to a healthy and hearty meal. And just as it is important on what you wear on your skin, it’s important what enters your body. Especially when the sun is bright, and the air is heated to a crisp, we want you to live your best life! In doing so, La Sierra would love to share some of our favourite quick meals and refreshing drinks to keep you feeling full, energised, and hydrated!  

 

Chimichurri Cauliflower Rice Bowl: This dish is AMAZING! If you're looking for a clean eating experience, we recommend you try this rice bowl. The Chimichurri is a delicate and delicious mixture of parsley, coriander, oregano and olive oil. It brings vibrant Latin American flavour to your taste buds and sensational colour to the cauliflower rice!  

First, make the Chimichurri Sauce (makes 1 cup)   

  • ½ tbsp dried oregano  
  • 2 tbs hot water  
  • ¼ tsp sea salt  
  • 1 medium garlic clove  
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar   
  • Zest and juice of half lemon  
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley  
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro  
  • ¼ green chili  
  • 1/3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes  
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil  

Next: 

In a small bowl, add oregano, hot water and salt and stir until salt denigrates. Transfer the contents from the small bowl to a food processor and add all remaining ingredients, except olive oil. Pulse until well combined. With the machine running, gentle drizzle in olive oil.   

Then for the rest of the bowl:   

  •  1 tbsp Olive Oil  
  • 2 Garlic cloves, minced  
  • 3-4 cups raw cauliflower (from head of 1 cauliflower)  
  • ½ tsp sea salt  
  • ½ cup Chimichurri  
  • 1 cup cubed and roasted butternut pumpkin   
  • 1 cup, cauliflower rice 
  • Adzuki Beans
  •  Toppings: cilantro, pomegranate arils, lemon wedge   

Lastly: 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice, cauliflower, and salt and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove from heat and mix in the chimichurri sauce. To assemble, spread 1 cup chimichurri rice in a wide bowl and top with ½ cup roasted squash and ½ cup adzuki beans. Garnish with fresh cilantro, pomegranate, and a squeeze of lemon.  Finally, and most importantly, enjoy! 

 

Sweet Potato Pesto Pizza: Yum, Yum, Yum! This recipe is a personal favourite! Enjoy this yummy pizza without the heavy feeling of dough and gluten! That’s right, Pizza just got plant based! This recipe is an Ayurvedic upgrade with a root veggie crust, dairy free pesto, almond feta and assorted veggie toppings! 

First, make the base: 

  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato (yam)  
  • 1 cup oat flour (blended oats)  
  • 1 tsp baking soda  
  • ½ tsp dried oregano  
  • ½ tsp dried basil  
  • ½ tsp sea salt  
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper  
  • ¼ tsp curry powder (optional) 

Optional Toppings  

  • ¼ cup plant-based pesto 
  • Almond Feta / cheese of choice  
  • Roasted Chickpeas  
  • Choice of vegetables (such as kale, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, spinach/arugula tossed in olive oil and lemon) 

Next: 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, oat flour, baking soda, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and curry powder (if using). Knead well, until the mixture forms a well-blended but still somewhat sticky dough. Spread a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and dust with oat flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large circle, about 25cm in diameter and 1-1.5cm thick. 

Transfer the parchment paper and dough to a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.  

Lastly: 

Remove crust from oven. Spread pesto over the crust, then top with feta, roasted chickpeas and vegetables. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown. Cool briefly before slicing. Top with fresh spinach and voilà, dive into this magic!  

 

 

Corn and Grilled Zucchini Salad: This light and green meal will go down nicely and make your tummy happy! Completely vegetarian and gluten free, this is the perfect and easy summer dish to enjoy while soaking up some sun in your back yard! 

With only 8 ingredients, you will need: 

  • 2 cups Rocket
  • 2 cups Corn 
  • Juice of ½ Lemon 
  • 500 g Zucchini 
  • Baking powder & Spices 
  • Lightly salt and pepper 
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil 
  • 1 cup Feta cheese 

Next: 

Cut zucchini into thick slices. Sprinkle olive oil and season with pepper and salt. Heat on an outdoor grill or grill pan on high heat. Grill the zucchini until golden brown on both sides with grill marks. 

Making the salad:  

Place the grilled zucchini in a large bowl and add roasted corn, crumbled feta cheese (you can use goat’s cheese too) and fresh arugula. Dress simply with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and your fresh meal is complete! 

 

 

DRINKS 

Now of course, with these scrumptious meals, one might need to quench their thirst. We have a list of refreshing drinks to help keep you cool and feeling rejuvenated. 

Watermelon Mocktail: There is no better way than a freshly sliced watermelon beverage that not only is tasty and chilled, but super easy to make and very hydrating for your body! We highly recommend this drink for quenching your summer thirst! 

Ingredients needed are 

  • 3 Cups cubed watermelon, seedless 
  • ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes juiced) 
  • 2 cups club soda or soda water 
  • 8 springs of mint 

You will need to use a blender to combine the cups of watermelon and lime juices. Blend for a minute or so. Next you take your cup and add a few mint leaves at the bottom of the cup. You can use a muddler to grind leaves, so you can release the flavour, yum! Next, use a sieve to strain the watermelon and lime juice, and proceed to pour halfway into your cup that contains the mint leaves. Finally top off your drink with the club soda! Feel free to add mint garnish and a watermelon slice and enjoy your homemade Watermelon Mocktail! 

 

Pineapple Orange Green Tea: Now this tea can also be enjoyed in the spring, but it’s a summertime favourite for us here at La Sierra. It’s a cool and crisp energising drink and sweet enough to boost the spirits! 

You will need  

  • 6 green tea bags 
  • 10 cups water divided 
  • 1 cup fresh, frozen or canned (in juice!) pineapple chunks 
  • 1 medium orange, or 2 small mandarins or tangerines, sliced 
  • ½ cup honey 

 In a medium saucepan, boil 6 cups of water. Remove the pan from the heat and add the 6 tea bags. While the tea steeps for about 5 minutes, add pineapple chunks, citrus slices, and honey to a large, heat proof pitcher. Once tea is ready, remove tea bags and pour warm tea mixture over the pineapple, oranges, & honey, and stir until it is well mixed, and the honey has melted. Add the remaining 4 cups of water to the tea and stir. Place your pitcher into the refrigerator until ready to drink, and the delicious Pineapple Orange Green Tea is ready to serve! 

 

Ayurvedic Alkaline Green Juice: This drink is a cleansing juice to help keep up your nutrients during the busy Summer social season. Green juice can deliver sufficient nutrients from leafy greens and other vegetables; however, most green juices are extremely cooling which can unbalance our Vata energy. The addition of digestive-enhancing ginger and anti-inflammatory turmeric will enhance your digestive fire so you can absorb even more of your nutrient-dense juice benefits!   

  • 4 large handfuls of spinach, rainbow chard or kale  
  • 2-3cm piece of turmeric root or 1 tsp ground turmeric   
  • 2-3cm pieces of ginger root  
  • 1 Cucumber  
  • 2 Celery Stalks  
  • 1 Lemon (peeled)  
  • Handful of parsley or cilantro (coriander) 
  • Pinch of fresh black pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped Pineapple  
  • ½ raw coconut water  

You will need to process all the ingredients except the coconut water through a juicer. Mix with coconut water, if desired for additional sweetness, and you have concocted your very own Ayurvedic Alkaline Green Juice, cheers! 

 

We’ve enjoyed sharing some of our summer recipes and yummy treats that make our tummies happy. We hope that you, our readers, and your family will also enjoy and feel rejuvenated and refreshed with these homemade and zesty recipes!  

 

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