Vegetarian Recipes with Nectarine that even Meat Eaters will Love
What's the easiest switch you can make for the environment? Eat less meat!
On Mondays, we are exploring vegetarian meals for meat eaters. Cooking with seasonal vegetables can seem really limiting at first, but the possibilities are endless. And it is worth it. Just cutting one day of meat eating out of our diet can keep thousands of tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere a year. No seriously, it's that big a deal. Cutting down on fish (and only eating sustainable fish) can also help with our huge plastic problem, because plastic fishing nets are the largest source of plastic in our oceans. The production of fish and meat come at a huge environmental cost, and we are simply eating too much.
Plus, it's a great opportunity to have some new adventures and try new things. Just another way to take care of the planet AND make life a little bit better!
Nectarines are my husband's favorite summer treat, so you can almost always find them in our house this time of year. Tangy and sweet (without the peach fuzz some people hate), nectarines are basically a perfect fruit.
If you are trying to make more meatless meals that EVERYONE can feel excited about, it helps to use some really tasty ingredients. Nectarines are PERFECT for this. You may think of them as purely sweet, but a lot like pineapple, they can be paired up with all sorts of savory ingredients for really delicious combinations. We use nectarine a lot for salsa, so we put it with everything.
Here are some delicious vegetarian nectarine recipes that everyone in your home will love so much that they won't miss the meat one bit.
Nectarines are basically the best for summer salads, so there are a lot of those here, but if you haven't felt the joy of herbs, nectarine, and some cheese you have a real surprise ahead of you. This arugala, nectarine, and feta salad from Haute and Healthy Living looks so simple and summery.
I am obsessed with this nectarine and raw corn salad from Coley Cooks. It just sounds like eating lunch outside on a summer day. It may not seem super filling, but I think you could pair it with a simple loaf of bread and lemonade, and you would have a perfect afternoon.
If you need something more hearty, this couscous bowl from a Pinch of Yum looks both filling and really tasty. Perfect for a summer night (or for your summer meal prep if you are trying to have a slender and lazy summer), and the couscous should keep you from feeling hungry later. I would like to eat this now, please.
For one more hearty salad choice (there were so many good ones! It was so hard to pick!), I would recommend this nectarine and wild rice salad from Sweet Lizzy. I am not a nuts girl, but rice in salad is one of those things you wouldn't think of, but freaking works.
Our favorite is to put nectarine in our salsa, which we can put on a quesadilla or black bean taco. It's so refreshing, and nectarine works crazy well with spice. This is a nice simple recipe from Onion Rings and Things. If you aren't this put together, just cut up a nectarine and throw it in your regular pico de gallo set up. It will work.
And to add to the recipes I will be dreaming about until I try it is this nectarine and balsamic pizza from Alexandra Cooks. Seriously, I am going to try to talk The Boy into this for tonight. It sounds so freaking good. It may be perfect for a party setting too?
For something totally different, you could also try this tomato and nectarine gazpacho from The All Day Kitchen. It looks super fresh and summery, not to mention effortlessly healthy.
What is your favorite summer fruit? Do you ever cook with it?
Want more vegetarian recipes to try? Awesome! Adding more meatless meals to your diet is such a fun challenge and you can discover so many things you like. Check out this page for all of the Meatless Monday Recipe Round Ups!
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