The Ultimate Summer Recipes - Page 4 of 11

Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Pasta salad with cherry tomatoes | cookingwithcassandra.com

Growing up, I was surrounded by loads of Mediterranean food influences. I had a family full of amazing cooks and I was always served the best dishes from scratch, and now that I’m older, I realize that I was incredibly lucky to have had someone cook for me. In Mediterranean cooking, we use a lot of flavorful plant-based foods like legumes, grains, and herbs. But, we also love our sauces and dressings. People tend to think of Mediterranean food like Italian, but it actually is a melting pot of European, Middle Eastern, Asian, and African cuisines. This Mediterranean pasta salad...

Easy Red Sangria – Perfect for Summer

Red Sangria Wine | cookingwithcassandra.com

There is no better drink to enjoy during summer than a red sangria! Traditional sangria is a cocktail made of Spanish red wine and a variety of fresh fruits and berries. Think of it as a fruit punch that has red wine and is infused for a few hours. This allows the taste of the wine to change depending on the types of fruit mixed in. It’s the best beverage to cool down with whether you’re by the beach, at the pool, or winding down in the summer evening. If you’re having a few friends over dinner, why not try pairing it with this summer berries, candied almonds and goat cheese...

Refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail

Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail | cookingwithcassandra.com

Picture this: you’re on a camping trip to Banff, and you’ve been hiking all day. Finally, you get to the top, exhausted and parched. Your hiking buddy whips out a flask filled with… no, not cold water, but a chilled watermelon cucumber cocktail. LIFE. SAVER! Honestly, wouldn’t that be the best thing ever? Whenever you’re thirsty and feeling like a fresh, fruity drink, this recipe will be there for you. Whether it’s for happy hour, a family holiday or a bridal shower, this drink will get the party going. Cheers! Recipe Ingredients Watermelon - Seedless watermelons are...

Simple Shirazi Salad

Shirazi Salad | cookingwithcassandra.com

I’m so excited to share another Persian recipe with you guys because whenever there’s food involved, it’s always a good idea to go back to your heritage, am I right? With that said, I love trying new things and tasting food from different cuisines. What is your favorite dish from your culture or heritage? Let me know by commenting on this blog post – I’d love to know! Shirazi salad or Salad-e Shirazi is a vibrant, colorful salad that is commonly served in any Iranian household, including my own. It is known for this really uniform look since everything is cut to about the same...

One Pan Parmesan Crusted Chicken With Potatoes And Zucchini

Parmesan Chicken with Potatoes | cookingwithcassandra.com

Here is a one-pan meal that I can never get sick of, and for good reason: parmesan crusted chicken. It features oven-baked chicken tenders that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Together with the baby potatoes and zucchini, the garlicky parmesan crust is so delicious, people will be grinning from ear to ear. Say cheese! Why I love this recipe: It’s a one-pan recipe, which means less time spent cleaning and more time spent relaxing. I count it as a blessing when I’m having an extremely busy day and still want to put something yummy on the table that’s...

Mexican Flatbread Pizzas

Can we both agree that Mexican street corn (also known as elotes Mexicanos) is the single most exciting way to eat Canada’s third most grown crop? Yep, I’m talking about corn! We’ve become so used to cooking recipes that name corn as just another topping, but it rarely gets the spotlight, you know? This humble vegetable always contributes itself to dishes like salads, salsa, pizza toppings, and more, going unnoticed and staying in the background. But not this time. Oh, no! In today’s Mexican street corn recipe, we let corn take center stage. The sour cream and...

Peach Arugula Salad With Honey Balsamic Dressing

Summer is here!!! Aside from the fact that I can finally stash away those bulky jackets, the warmer weather and sunnier days are welcomed by more time at the cabin, playing outside with Pete followed by ice cream! Guess who loves getting out of the house more than I do? Woof, woof! Summer also means an array of ripe and juicy fruits just waiting to be picked and brought home. The first thing I’m getting my hands on is fresh peaches. These plump and fuzzy fruits are great eaten as-is, but they’re even better in a crispy peach cobbler and a boozy red sangria. One other peach...

Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Slice of lemon blueberry cake with fresh blueberries on the side | cookingwithcassandra.com

One habit I’ve gotten into – and has helped me for years now – is to follow a solid morning routine. I start by making the bed, do a light workout (these days it’s yoga and jogging) and then have breakfast before getting to my office on time to start the work day. Some days, I can muster up the effort to cook a full breakfast spread for me and hubs. On other days, we take it easy with a sweet cake and cup of coffee. That’s where this recipe comes in: a lemon blueberry coffee cake with cream cheese. This streusel coffee cake has a sweet cream cheese filling and tarty lemon batter....

Healthy Strawberry Summer Salad

Strawberry Summer Salad | cookingwithcassandra.com

Every summer, my husband and I host barbecue parties for our family and friends. Because I like having variation, that means needing to think of different sides and fixings for each party. One of my must-haves is a salad – it’s healthy, refreshing and helps to balance the “heaviness” of all the grilled meats. But you’ll never see a boring salad at my party! I love serving steak salads (like this delicious steak salad with yogurt dressing), but when I need to fix something quick and easy, this strawberry summer salad is a great option. You really can’t go wrong with this salad. It’s...

Overnight Zucchini Bread Oatmeal

Zucchini Bread Oatmeal | cookingwithcassandra.com

From the popular peanut butter-banana combo to the annual pumpkin spice, there are many ways to upgrade boring oatmeal into a delicious treat. My latest conquest involves zucchini bread overnight oats, which turned out to be surprisingly good. All it takes is some creativity and courage to experiment with new things! What is zucchini bread? Zucchini bread, typically made by baking a bread mixture of grated zucchini and walnuts, is well-loved for being adequately sweet and moist. When baked in a loaf, this summer squash makes a heartwarming treat for any time of...

Easy Quinoa Salad Bowl With Avocado Cilantro Dressing

Today, I’m sharing with you one of my favorite make-ahead recipes: a veggie-loaded quinoa salad bowl with (the yummiest!) avocado dressing. If it’s going to be a busy day, you bet I’m gonna be digging into this – one thing I’m vowing to do this year is to never let myself get hangry. In under 20 minutes, I can put together an insanely delicious and seriously healthy meal in one bowl, ready to go. And the avocado cilantro dressing is the cherry on top. Some of my readers have asked if this is a raw vegetable salad, and actually, while that might be nice, I should clarify that...

Authentic Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki mixture | cookingwithcassandra.com

Okay, before I proceed to rave about this Greek godsend, let’s say this together: Tzatziki is pronounced sat-see-kee. Not tuh-za tuh-zi-kee, nope. Sat-see-kee. I had to learn that the hard way. Oh, if you could just see the waiters trying to stifle a smile for all the times I proudly requested “more of that delicious tuh-za tuh-zi-kee for my kabobs”. It wasn’t until I was on the phone later that night, telling a friend how darn good it was, when she laughed, “You know it’s pronounced sat-see-kee, right?” LOL. I never made that mistake again. Anyway, if you’ve never...