It’s a foodies’ summer

Craving that cool, fun and fresh taste that summer always brings? Are you a little adventurous with your food choices and looking for something that refreshes your BBQ parties? Well get your taste buds ready for these summertime recipes will livin’ up any party. Of course make any dietary restrictions as needed.

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Frozen Orangesicle Pop

This recipe will make six four-ounce pops

Total time: 45 minutes (not including freezer time)

What you need:

6 four-ounce pop molds or ice trays

Blender

4 cups orange juice not from concentrate (pulp free if you prefer)

¼ cup of organic honey

1 cup of 0 percent fat Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons orange zest (from about 1 large orange or 2 cuties)

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of Kosher salt 

Directions: 

1. Pour orange juice and honey into a wide saucepan, while whisking every 5-8 minutes, over medium-high heat. Cook for 25 minutes or until it’s reduced to two cups of juice and honey mixture. Once done, let it cool completely!
2. When juice is completely cool add the juice mixture, yogurt, orange zest, vanilla extract and salt to a blender. You’ll want to puree until the mixture is smooth. 
3. Once it is smooth begin to pour into pop molds for at least 4 hours. If using ice trays for minipops, put them into the freezer for 1-hour, then remove them and carefully place toothpicks into pop cubes. Place them back into the freezer for 5 hours.  
4. Remove them from the freezer and sit back and enjoy a frozen creamy orange popsicle!

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Watermelon Mocktail (non-alcoholic)

This recipe will make 4 servings.

Total time- 15 minutes

What you need:

Blender

Fine strainer

Large bowl

Pitcher

Wooden spoon or rubber spatula

6 cups cubed seedless watermelon 

2 limes juiced, plus an additional lime for a garnish presentation (your choice!)

2-3 shoots of fresh mint

12 ounces of unflavored seltzer (you can use a lime or watermelon flavored seltzer for a more fruity or lime flavoring, up to you!)

Directions:

1. Dice watermelons into smaller cubes and add to the blender with your lime juice.
2. Pulse, and then blend on high until mixture is smooth.

Note: This next step is to make the drink smooth with little to no gritty texture, but you can skip it if you would like.

3. Place your fine strainer over a bowl and pour blended watermelon lime juice through it. (The trick here is to use a wooden spoon to mix and scrape the bottom of the strainer to help strain it faster)
4. Next, add 8-10 mint leaves to a pitcher and smash it gently (without over smashing!), about 3-4 times to bring in the mint flavor.
5. Pour the watermelon lime juice into that same pitcher and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
6. Once you’re ready to serve, fill each glass with ice and pour watermelon lime juic over the top until about three quarters full. Finally top off with seltzer and add any garnish (like sliced lime or a sprig of fresh mint).
7. Enjoy!

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Peach Daiquiri Mocktail (non-alcoholic)

This recipe will make 4 drinks

Total time: Seven minutes

What you need:

4 cups frozen peach slices (you can use fresh sliced peaches just add ice when blending or freeze slices beforehand) 

¼ cup lime juice

¾ cup coconut milk

⅔ orange juice

¼ cup simple syrup equal parts sugar and water, simmered together until mixture is clear

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth (stirring might be necessary to help break up the frozen chunks)
3. Pour into chilled glasses. 

Note: Garnish with a fresh sliced peach 

4. Enjoy!

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Shrimp zucchini boats

This recipe will make 6 servings

Total time 40 minutes

What you need:

Grill, stovetop pan, large skillet

Basting brush (silicone or bristles)

Baking sheets 

Baking pan

3 large zucchini

1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning

1 teaspoon olive oil or spray

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 pound of raw shrimp with the shell and tail removed, deveined

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts chopped

3-4 cloves garlic minced

½ cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Begin by washing zucchini and drying. 
2. Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the center in order to create a sort of ditch in the middle. (Save all the “guts” that you scoop out for later.)
3. Spray or brush zucchini boats inside and out with olive oil. Sprinkle them (like salt bae for fun) with about half a teaspoon of the garlic herb seasoning (save some seasoning for shrimp)
4. Heat a grill (stove-top if you don’t have a grill) over medium-high heat and set the oiled zucchini boats cut side down for about 5 minutes without turning them over, as it’s going to create a seal. When done, set them aside.

Note: You can bake in a 450 degree oven, cut side down for 5-10 minutes.

5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
6. Add your raw shrimp (shell and tail removed, deveined) to hot melted butter. Add remaining garlic and herb seasoning as well as 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
7. Allow the shrimp to cook until the bottom sides start to turn golden brown (about 5 minutes). Turn and cook for another minute. Then transfer to another bowl and set aside.
8. In the same large skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and add remaining zucchini (those “guts” you saved earlier) and artichoke hearts. Cook those together until soft for about 5 minutes. 
9. Add your minced garlic to the mixture and saute for another 1-2 minutes/
10. Place grilled zucchini boats on a baking sheet. 
11. Begin filling your boats with the zucchini filling. Tear each shrimp into smaller pieces and place on top of the filling. 
12. Top all zucchini boats with parmesan cheese.
13. Heat under broiler until cheese turns golden brown, about 5 minutes
14. Let it cool for 8-10 minutes. Serve warm and Enjoy!