Each summer brings us an incredible bounty of fresh, colorful, vitamin-rich vegetables that beg to be turned into a great side or entrée. Almost every town in Hendricks County has a farmers market to help you support local growers. [Here is a good article about keeping your purchases fresh at home.]
I asked locals for their favorite vegetarian and/or veggie-forward dishes, and here is what they shared:
Simple, oven-roasted vegetables
This recipe focuses on asparagus, but Tag... You're It! Jewelry co-owner, Brodi, said she uses the same process with broccoli. I do something similar with cauliflower! A light coating of EVOO (or your favorite oil), minced garlic, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Bake/roast on a high heat, and they get a little char on them which gives a great crunch and softens the flavor of the vegetable a bit.
If you want to grill your veggies instead of roast them (heating up your kitchen even more), Mallory suggests giving this a try: Using zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, onion and cabbage, cover them in EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic powder and dried herbs before grilling them. Sprinkling them with feta cheese before serving takes them to the next level!
Chicken Zucchini Casserole
This recipe was shared by Brownsburg mom Amy, and it is totally going on my short-list of recipes to make this summer. We LOVE zucchini... in bread, roasted, fried, and as zoodles! As she said, this is a good recipe to help use up extra zucchini or chicken.
Another good "casserole" of sorts is this Spaghetti Squash Chicken Lasagna, which was recommended by a non-local friend and looks so good!
Veggie Salads
Some of the best summer recipes highlight vegetables in their raw form. Erica said she likes this recipe as a side dish for a barbecue or when grilling. It's a flexible recipe, calling for a variety of vegetables but letting you substitute your favorites.
A non-local friend loves a salade nicoise, which is a traditional French-style salad that usually includes tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, anchovies or tuna, and an olive oil dressing. Her version also includes roasted peppers, capers, green beans, asparagus, cucumbers and a vinaigrette dressing.
Meat-substitute tacos and quesadillas
If you don't like or eat meat, or just want a meat-free meal, Kim suggested grabbing a bag of MorningStar crumbles and making tacos or nachos with them, just like you would with beef. Here's a recipe similar to what she recommended. Dice up a fresh tomato, some peppers or chiles, add some beans, and you have a delicious meal! [MKH is not affiliated with MorningStar; this is not a sponsored article.]
A non-local friend said she enjoyed vegan quesadillas recently that included wheat tortillas, refried beans, sauteed onions, broccoli, cauliflower and fresh corn, plus spices of choice and vegan shredded cheese.
