Creative Ways To Use Summer Fruits & Veggies
If you’ve been to your local farmer’s market or grocery store lately, you may have noticed the endless rows of beautiful, fresh produce bursting with color.
Summer is the perfect time to cook with a variety of fruits and vegetables because they are in peak season for variety and flavor. And although we are lucky to have grocers that stock great options year-round, there’s no time better than now to get your fill of plump tomatoes, crunchy asparagus and juicy peaches.
Summer is Venice Bakery’s favorite season because we LOVE to play with our food and encourage you to do the same!
Whether you are grilling or preparing something healthy inside, Venice Bakery has recipe ideas to make your August the tastiest one yet!
Hummus and Grilled Veggie Wraps
This recipe screams yummo in every bite! These delicious wraps make a perfect afternoon lunch that can be enjoyed at a picnic, at work or packed in your kid’s lunchbox. Personalize them with different veggies and get creative!
Recipe serves 4 and is vegan and gluten-free
Ingredients:
4 Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Wraps
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 cup store-bought or homemade hummus
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 ounces baby spinach leaves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium heat.
Brush both sides of the zucchini slices with the oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste.
Grill until tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.
Spread 1/4 cup of the hummus over each wrap.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of pine nuts on top.
Top with 3 slices of zucchini, 2 pieces of red pepper, a handful of the spinach, a few sliced onions, and 1 tablespoon of the mint.
Roll each of them up and cut in half on a diagonal.
Greek Summer Pizza
One of the best complements to delicious summer vegetables is feta cheese!
Layer your Venice Bakery gluten-free crust with gorgeous slices of your favorite tomatoes, salty olives, drizzled olive oil, crumbled feta and voila! You have the best summer pizza in town.
Ingredients:
1 12-inch Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Pizza Crust.
4 plum tomatoes (or any preferred variety), sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces feta cheese
1 ounce pitted kalamata olives, halved (1/3 cup)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Optional: ¼-1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Arrange sliced tomatoes on a board or baking sheet lined with paper towels and top with more paper towels. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes (this is to prevent soggy tomatoes).
Preheat oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you have on hand, lightly sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese on the crust.
Combine tomato, 2 tablespoons olive oil and garlic.
Spread the tomato mixture on pizza crust. Sprinkle with feta cheese and place in the oven for approximately 15-18 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.
Remove pie from the oven, drizzle with more olive oil and top with basil leaves.
Slice and serve!
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Peach, Gorgonzola and Chicken Flatbreads
It’s pretty hard to beat a summer peach in its natural state. Juicy, sweet and satisfying, this summer treat is surprisingly amazing in a variety of grilled and baked recipes. For our flatbread, the balsamic vinegar plays amazingly against the sweetness of the peach. It’ll be fireworks for your palate!
Ingredients:
2 Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Flatbreads
Cooking Spray
11/2 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup cooked and shredded chicken breast
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese
1 skin-on peach, thinly sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Place flatbreads on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Brush the extra-virgin olive oil evenly over bread.
Top evenly with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, chicken, gorgonzola cheese, and peach slices.
Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella.
Bake at 400° for 11 minutes, until flatbread is slightly browned.
Place vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).
Drizzle balsamic reduction evenly over flatbreads.
Like pizza, these flatbreads can be sliced and enjoyed!
Recipe Adapted from Cooking Light
Stuffed Italian Veggies
A classic Italian dish you can make all your own! Go crazy at your local market purchasing stuff-able veggies. Our gluten-free bread crumbs make the perfect partner in crime for this vegetarian-friendly summer meal. Serve alone or with a side salad and herbed rice for a simple and delicious taste of Italy.
Ingredients:
1 large sweet onion
6 miniature bell peppers
1 large zucchini
6 plum tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling and brushing
1 large eggplant
1 cup Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili flakes or ½ tablespoon chili paste
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped basil
2 tablespoon chopped mint
3 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Optional: 2 ounces pancetta, diced
½ lemon
¼ cup white wine
Water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a baking dish that will snugly hold all the vegetables with olive oil.
Hollow out peppers and tomatoes, thickly slice and score zucchini and eggplant and cut onion into wedges and core to make room for bread crumbs.
Arrange the vegetables inside dish, brushing them with more of the oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a pan.
Stir in garlic, chili paste and pancetta if desired to infuse the oil.
When pancetta is rendered, stir in bread crumbs to lightly toast.
Remove bread crumbs from heat and stir in chopped herbs, cheese and several squirts of lemon.
Stuffed vegetables with bread crumb mixture. It is completely okay if they overflow. Keep excess crumbs in airtight container for future meals.
Drizzle top with olive oil.
Fill baking dish with a splash of white wine and water to fill 1/3 way of vegetables.
Cover dish with foil and bake approximately 30 minutes.
Remove foil, add a bit more water and bake an additional 15 minutes, until veggies are tender and bread crumbs are toasted.
Bueno Appetito!
Recipe Adapted from Serious Eats
Our gluten-free wraps, bread crumbs, pizza crusts and flatbreads are just as versatile as the delicious produce you can find this summer. Follow these recipes as is or use it as a springboard of inspiration for your unique summer meals!
Venice Bakery134 Main StreetEl Segundo, CA 90245(310) 322–7357http://www.venicebakery.com/
