Here in the mountains of Upstate New York, we blinked and missed Spring. We went from furnace to air conditioning with no in-between stage. It is way too hot to cook – or that is what I am telling my boys – so I pulled out the Recipe Binder and flipped to the Summertime Section! Here are three of my favorite Cheap Summer Recipes! You guys will not believe how easy (and yummy) these are! Fair warning…these are made in my head and have no recipes. Adjust accordingly.
Quinoa, Spinach, and Bean Salad
One cup of Quinoa cooked to package instructions. The tricolored Quinoa is fun!! Be sure to rinse it first, before cooking.
Make a BIG salad! Add spinach to a big bowl. Add quinoa to the top – warm. Let the spinach wilt a little in the bowl and refrigerate. Then add all of your favorite veggies; cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, etc. and a can of white cannellini beans. Mix with honey mustard dressing (I like mine warm).
Honey Mustard Dressing A tablespoon of dijon mustard, a tablespoon of honey, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Again, play with this to get it the way you like it, no recipe.
Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad
Reserve 4-5 slices of bacon from this morning’s AMAZING breakfast!! Grab 2cups of frozen peas out of the refrigerator and defrost. Boil a pound of macaroni according to package directions. Let cool. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup of ranch salad dressing. Mix well. Cut up some tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers reasonably small. Add veggies with the cooked and cool pasta to the dressing mix. Chop up bacon and sprinkle on top!
Pear and Goat Cheese Salad With Berry Vinaigrette
This salad might be my favorite cheap summertime recipe! I usually make this salad just for me!
I like a field green mix for the base of this, and I add some cucumbers and a colored pepper. The yellow, orange and red seem a bit sweeter – no other veggies. Chop up one pear and throw it on top. Add a bunch of chopped walnuts. Scoop out about two ounces of goat cheese and plop it in random spots. If you have leftover chicken, that will go well with this combination. Then add the dressing!
Berry Vinaigrette Dressing Throw a handful of raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries, a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar, and two tablespoons of olive oil into a small food processor or blender. Taste to confirm and adjust accordingly.
That is it! Told you they were easy! ENJOY and HAPPY SUMMER!!!
(Edited to add that since the time I wrote this and the time it was published, it’s now 60 degrees in Upstate NY, and we are freezing again. Cheap soup recipes, anyone?)
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Sara is a wife, mother, and creator of Frozen Pennies. With a degree in English, a former teacher, and a Certified Financial Coach through Ramsey Solutions, there is no better place to learn about debt freedom, budgeting, and overall frugal living.