Celebrate seasonal eating with our 5-night late-summer meal plan

It’s no surprise that late summer — with its abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and more — is peak time for seasonal eating. But sometimes, whether you are a farmers’ market regular or just looking to add more seasonal variety to your plate, you need a little inspiration and guidance to get out of your usual summer eating rut.

That’s where FoodPrint’s “Celebrate the Flavors of Summer” campaign comes in. This August, follow along on FoodPrint’s Instagram as we share tips and techniques for discovering new seasonal ingredients and ways to cook them.

Every week throughout the month, we’ll focus on various seasonal fruits and vegetables you might find this time of year at the farmers’ market — or even your local supermarket — and share ways to prepare them, tips for optimal storage and different regional varieties for you to try.

Tuesday: Summer quinoa with corn, tomatoes, eggplant and pistachio

On day two of the summer meal plan, we’re turning to the forthcoming cookbook “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking” by Joe Yonan for our summer recipe inspiration. His summer quinoa seamlessly packs in a number of seasonal favorites.

Summer Quinoa with Corn, Tomatoes, Eggplant & Pistachio

 Joe Yonan, “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking”

Makes 6 servings 

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant (1 pound/450g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion (6 ounces/170g), chopped (1 cup) 11⁄2 cups (255g) any color quinoa
2 garlic cloves, sliced 2 cups (470ml) water
11⁄2 cups (185g) fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 pint (290g) Sungold tomatoes, halved
1⁄2 cup (20g) mixed chopped soft herbs, such as chives, basil, dill, and/or parsley
1⁄3 cup (45g) pistachios, toasted and chopped

Method

1. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 400°F (200°C). Line a large sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or compostable parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, toss the eggplant with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.
3. Transfer to the sheet pan and roast until the eggplant is creamy and brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (This can be done 1 day ahead.)
4. In a pot with a tightly fitting lid, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, until the grains begin to darken and some of them start to pop, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the water and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, 17 to 20 minutes. If water remains at the bottom of the pot after 20 minutes, remove the lid and stir until it’s evaporated.
7. While the quinoa is cooking, heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring, until charred in spots, about 5 minutes. (If you’re using frozen corn, it could take longer to char, because of the extra moisture.)
8. When the quinoa is finished cooking, reduce the heat to low and fold in the eggplant and corn. Cover and cook until the vegetables are heated through. Off the heat, stir in the tomatoes and herbs. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
9. Spoon onto a serving platter and sprinkle the pistachios over top.

Reprinted with permission from Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking by Joe Yonan, copyright © 2024. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Food Waste Tip: Don’t toss those corn cobs! Save them in the fridge to use in Friday’s corn stock recipe. Alternatively, you can remove the corn kernels from the remaining 3 cobs and start making the corn stock ahead of time. Save the unused kernels in the fridge until you make the risotto on Friday.

Wednesday: Lentil & quinoa salad

Herbs are a prominent part of Persian cuisine, as evidenced by the many recipes in Leila Heller’s “Persian Feasts” that call for them by the bunch. And there’s no better time to use fresh herbs than in summer, when there are many varieties to choose from.

Lentil & Quinoa Salad with Herbs

Leila Heller, “Persian Feasts: Recipes & Stories from a Family Table”

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups (8 oz/225 g) dried barberries, rinsed
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups (1 lb/450 g) dried Puy lentils
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (6 1/2 oz/185 g) quinoa
1 cup (3 1/2 oz/300 g) finely chopped scallions (spring onions)
1/2 cup (1 oz/30 g) finely chopped cilantro (coriander), plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup (2 oz/55 g) finely chopped chives
1/2 cup (1 oz/30 g) finely chopped parsley
4 tablespoons finely chopped dill
3/4 cup (6 fl oz/175 ml) red wine vinegar or pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups (9 3/4 oz/275 g) pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, then add the barberries and sugar. Mix for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar has melted.
2. Pick over the Puy lentils to remove any debris. Rinse the lentils under cold running water. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, 4 cups (32 fl oz/950 ml) of water, and 2 tablespoons of oil. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20-35 minutes, until the lentils are cooked through. Drain, then set aside.
3. Rinse the quinoa under cold running water, then drain. In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz/350 ml) of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, lentils, scallions (spring onions), herbs, and barberries.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) of oil, vinegar, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Pour over the salad and toss well. Season to taste, then garnish with pomegranate seeds, if using.

Food Waste Tip: You may have extra herbs remaining after making this salad. Check out these tips to make sure none of them go to waste.

Thursday: Peach, halloumi and purslane salad

Almost all of the recipes in Susie Theodorou’s “No-Cook Cookbook” are made for days when turning on the stove or oven is the last thing you want to do. But this salad stands out for putting a spotlight on so many great seasonal fruits and vegetables.

While you may not be familiar with purslane, the leafy green is worth trying if you can find it at your local market. If not, a peppery green such as arugula can also be swapped in.

Peach, Halloumi, and Purslane Salad

Susie Theodorou, “No-Cook Cookbook: Fresh and Healthy Meals to Assemble, Eat and Enjoy”

Serves 2

Ingredients

Dressing

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

2 ripe, juicy peaches
2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, such as Kumato, halved
2 handfuls torn summer salad leaves, such as purslane, Castelfranco radicchio, arugula, and dandelion leaves.
7 oz/200g halloumi cheese, drained and coarsely shredded
Sea salt flakes
Something crunchy: dukkah or toasted hazelnuts
Crisp seeded lavash or soft Persian flatbread, for serving

Method

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
2. Halve the peaches and remove the pits. Either coarsely chop the peaches, or tear and lightly squeeze into a mixing bowl. Add the tomatoes, then add the dressing, stir, and leave for 5 minutes.
3. Wash and spin-dry the salad leaves. Toss into the peach mixture, then add the shredded halloumi cheese, toss once more, and taste to see if salt is needed.
4. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the dukkah. Serve with lavash or flatbread to soak up all of the delicious juices.

Excerpted with permission from No-Cook Cookbook: Fresh and Healthy Meals to Assemble, Eat, and Enjoy by: Susie Theodorou published by ‎Hardie Grant Publishing, September 2024, RRP $30.00 Hardcover.

Food Waste Tip: Theodorou’s recipe calls for “something crunchy,” to top the salad — we’re going with toasted chopped pistachios left over from Tuesday’s quinoa.

Friday: Summer corn risotto featuring zero-waste corn stock

For many, sweet corn is a telltale sign of the peak summer season. But after the kernels have been trimmed or eaten, what are you supposed to do with all of those corn cobs? To give them a second life, do as Kathryn Kellogg recommends in her book “101 Tips for a Zero-Waste Kitchen” and turn them into corn stock — a great way to infuse corn flavor into soups, stews or any recipe that calls for vegetable stock.

We recommend using it in place of the vegetable stock in this recipe from The Kitchn for summer corn risotto. To simplify your shopping list, use spring onions in place of leeks — and you can skip the vermouth if you’d like.

Corn Stock

Kathyrn Kellog, “101 Tips for a Zero-Waste Kitchen”

Makes approximately 6 cups

Ingredients

4 to 6 corn cobs
Water
Bay Leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place your corn cobs, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste in a large pot. Add enough water to cover, then bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Lower the heat to low and let the corn cobs simmer for 1 to 2 hours. This will extract the flavor from the cobs.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the stock to cool slightly.
4. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the corn cobs, reserving the liquid and saving the cobs for compost.
5. Let the stock cool completely before transferring it to storage containers. Store the corn stock in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Excerpted from 101 Tips for a Zero-Waste Kitchen © 2024 by Kathryn Kellog, reprinted by permission of Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Waste Tip: Short on time but don’t want to waste leftover those corn cobs? Freeze them to use later. You can also make the corn stock and freeze it to use anytime of the year.

Top photo: Summer Quinoa with Corn, Tomatoes, Eggplant & Pistachio;

Reprinted with permission from Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking by Joe Yonan, copyright © 2024. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. 

Photographs copyright © Erin Scott