Tasty summer recipes for yourself or to bring to gatherings!

Chicken and Cucumber Salad with Parsley Pesto

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

½ cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 1 bunch)

½ cup fresh baby spinach

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ tablespoons toasted pine nuts

½ tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

½ medium garlic clove, smashed

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 chicken)

1 cup cooked shelled edamame

½ (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup chopped English cucumber

2 cups loosely packed arugula

Directions

1. Combine parsley, spinach, lemon juice, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in bowl of a food processor; process until smooth, about 1 minute. With processor running, add oil; process until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Stir together chicken, edamame, chickpeas, and cucumber in a large bowl. Add pesto; toss to combine.
3. Place 1/3 cup arugula in each of 6 bowls; top each with 1/2 cup chicken salad mixture. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving: Calories 241; Fat 13g; Carbohydrate 11g; Protein 20g.

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine. Dinner Tonight: 20-Minute Mains. Recipe by Robby Melvin. August 2018.

Soy-Marinated Tuna

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/8 cup lower-sodium soy sauce

1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil

½ tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

½ teaspoon black pepper

¾ pound tuna fillet, cut into 16 chunks

8 shishito peppers or mini bell peppers

4 cremini mushrooms, halved

1/2 medium eggplant, cut into 8 (1-inch) cubes

Cooking spray

Directions

1. Soak 8 (12 inch) wooden skewers in water 15 minutes.
2. Stir together 1/8 cup cilantro, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, sesame seeds and black pepper in a bowl. Reserve half of marinade.  Add tuna to remaining marinade in bowl; toss to coat. Chill 15 minutes.
3. Remove tuna from marinade. Place marinade in a saucepan; boil 2 minutes.  Thread tuna, shishito peppers, mushrooms and eggplant onto skewers, beginning and ending with tuna.
4. Heat a grill pan over medium-high. Coat with cooking spray. Grill skewers until charred, 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. Brush with cooked marinade during the last minute of grilling. Place skewers on a plate. Top with reserved marinade and remaining 1/8 cup cilantro.

Nutrition per serving (1 skewer): Calories 182; Fat 6 g; Carbohydrates 9 g: Protein 23 g.                                           

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine. No Fuss Seafood Dinners. Article by Robin Bashinky and Jamie Vespa. August 2018.