Summer is a time to fill your plates with fresh and vibrant ingredients, and we can't wait to help you feed your family with easy, exciting dishes starring tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, berries, peaches, plums, peppers, greens, herbs, and more! These summer meal ideas start with the herbaceous summer green sauces that will change your grilling game, move on to sweet and savoury stone-fruit salads (save those leafy greens for another time) and refreshing smoothie pops that you can eat for breakfast, and finish with entertaining-worthy ceviche-style salads and simple homemade sushi.
Avocado Tahini Herb Sauce
Avocado + tahini + basil + Italian flat-leaf parsley + mint
Pantry staples: olive oil, lemon, garlic, kosher salt, pepper
The sauce that adds flavour and flair with herbaceous nuttiness. A handy tool to leverage throughout summer, this velvety green sauce is great over simple grilled vegetables, in summery salad bowls, or drizzled over grilled meats. Get the recipe
Summer Green Sauce
Parsley + mint + basil + cilantro + chives
Pantry staples: oil, salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes, lemon, garlic
This zesty multi-herb blend brings five green herbs together in a seriously fresh sauce, with lemon and hot pepper flakes adding zesty acidity and heat. Use it as a marinade, in pasta and drizzled over grilled chicken, steaks, and more. It's the ultimate multipurpose sauce for summer. Get the recipe
Cold Thai-Style Rice Noodle Salad
Dried rice noodles + mango + sweet bell peppers + green onion + peanuts
Pantry staples: rice wine vinegar, honey, olive oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper
Mix and match fruit and vegetables in this Thai-inspired cold noodle salad. Ready in 30 minutes, this salad is fresh, crunchy, and cool (the closest you get to the heat is turning on the kettle-that's it). Tip: If you're looking to add protein, it pairs well with grilled tofu, chicken, or shrimp. Get the recipe
Stone Fruit Caprese Salad
Peaches + plums + cherries + Mozzarella + basil
Pantry staples: olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, pepper
The season for Canadian-grown stone fruit is short but special, so make sure to celebrate it at as many meals as possible! This can mean looking beyond snacks, jams, and desserts to salads like this one. Mozzarella and a rich balsamic vinaigrette are the perfect pairing for the sweet-tart slices of stone fruit. Get the recipe
Ceviche-Style Grilled Shrimp and Peaches
Shrimp + peaches + shallots + cilantro + seaweed snacks
Pantry staples: olive oil, sea salt, lime juice, pepper
Ceviche is traditionally made with citrus-cured raw fresh fish, spiced and seasoned with chili, herbs, and red onion; this version takes the guesswork of working with raw fish out by using cooked shrimp. Paired with fresh peach chunks, lime, and spice, it can be served as a fresh summer snack or an appetizer with tortilla chips. Get the recipe
Heirloom Tomato Ceviche-Style Salad
Heirloom tomatoes + shallots + seaweed salad (Sushi Dept.) + orange + red finger chili pepper
Pantry staples:, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper
Heirloom tomatoes are naturally sweeter than your standard tomato. They're more delicate, with a shorter shelf life-but they make up for that in flavour! This also makes them ideal for fresh applications, like this ceviche-style salad. Our version uses sweet orange and a briny seaweed salad with the curing liquid for a brilliant summer side salad you can whip together on weeknights or showcase at big summer BBQs. Get the recipe
Korean-Style Pork Sliders
Ground pork + chili miso sesame oil + spicy mayo + Compliments Brioche Slider Buns + pineapple + microgreens (optional)
Pantry staples: panko breadcrumbs, kosher salt, pepper, sugar
Slide into summer grilling with fresh Korean-style flavour! For the slider patties, the secret is adding an all-in-one chili miso sesame oil. After that, it all hangs on the assembly: hot mayo, sweet-tart pineapple, and fresh microgreens. (Friendly warning: These are so tasty, the easy-to-eat style will have them disappear quickly.) Get the recipe
BBQ Brisket Sliders
Panache Texas-Style Mesquite Beef Brisket (Deli Dept.) + Spirited Mickie Rye and Cola Flavoured BBQ Sauce + Compliments Brioche Slider Buns + Moishe's Creamy Coleslaw (Deli Dept.) + dill pickles + microgreens (optional)
These easy sliders are light on the cooking requirements (heating brisket and sauce in a pan on the grill), so if you're trying to beat the heat in the kitchen or you don't want to cook tonight, they're the answer. Once you have the sauced and heated brisket ready to go, layer it on toasted brioche buns with slaw, briny pickle and-if you want-fresh crisp microgreens. Bon appétit! Get the recipe
Swirled Berry Smoothie Pops
Raspberries + blackberries + blueberries + Greek yogurt
Pantry staples: honey, lemon
Ice pops with breakfast? You're going to score all the points with the fam for this. These sweet treats are basically a berry yogurt bowl in ice pop format. They do need to freeze overnight, so plan ahead and reap the rewards in the morning. Get the recipe
Golden Milk Smoothie Pops
Peaches + nectarines + coconut yogurt alternative + turmeric paste + ginger
Pantry staples: honey, vanilla, cinnamon, white pepper
Turmeric, the cousin of ginger, is bitter and earthy with peppery spice. (Its bright yellow colour also makes it a common natural food dye, so don't spill it on your clothes.) Pairing it with sweet stone fruit, rich coconut yogurt, and warm spices creates a complex grown-up ice pop that's perfect for passing around after dinner. Get the recipe
Funky Mushroom Rolls
Sushi rice + mixed mushrooms + kimchi + spicy mayo + nori sushi wraps + Compliments Shichimi Togarashi Seasoning (optional)
Pantry staples: rice vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, canola oil
Mushroom lovers, this one's for you. These sushi rolls are bombs of flavour with a caramelized mushroom and tangy kimchi centre. Perfect for anyone who wants to try homemade sushi without having to handle raw sushi-grade fish. (Maybe save that for next time.) Get the recipe.
Fruit Rice Rolls
Sushi rice + coconut milk + Compliments Sweetened Shredded Coconut + peaches + strawberries
Pantry staples: sugar, kosher salt, vanilla, lime
This one is all delicious fun. Sweet coconut and summer fruit wrapped up in cute rice-wrapped bites. Get the recipe
