SUMMER RECIPE IDEAS

Magazines used in photo: Ocado Life, Tesco, Homemaker

I feel like we're having a proper summer here in England this year, (though typically it's been raining today) and when it's hot out I always like to have foods that are full of flavour, colour and are pretty easy to make. However, I often find myself eating the same things so I've made a Pinterest board with recipes I want to try out and thought I'd share some of my favourites!

Breakfast

So to start off the day I've gone for something that you probably shouldn't have every day but if you paired it with some fruit then it would make a delicious breakfast to wake up to! This recipe is for Nutella Brioche which just sounds great, doesn't it and it's something that lots of people can eat. It does take a while to prepare but the cook time is only 40 minutes, which I think is totally worth it! 

Credit to Dina from Simply Home Cooked for the recipe and image

Lunch

Instead of a conventional sandwich, I thought I'd pick something a bit different for lunch, these Grilled Bruschetta Skewers would be a perfect addition to a picnic or even a barbeque! I'm obsessed with pesto at the moment and this seems like a great idea to have it in a more interesting way so I'll definitely be trying these out. They are super quick and easy to make, plus the recipe produces 20 skewers which is ideal for a family or friends gathering and you could definitely adapt it if you wanted to add different things! 

Credit to Annalise from Completely Delicious for the recipe and image

Dinner

When I hear summer I automatically think of barbecues so a burger is an obvious choice for dinner, however, this particular one caught my eye as it's a bit different from your classic, simple one! When I found this recipe for a Cheesy Salsa Burger I knew it would be right up my street and really want to try it out now, I love how a few additions can completely transform a dish. I'm actually not a fan of avocado (controversial, I know) so I probably would leave that out but other than that it looks delicious! As a side dish I thought that these Parmesan Garlic Fries looked so good and are really simple too, which is ideal when you don't want to be cooking for too long. 

Credit to Brandy from Nutmeg Nanny for the burger recipe and image
Credit to London from Evolving Table for the fries recipe and image

Dessert

There were so many dessert recipes that looked amazing but I picked out two items that include some of my favourite summer flavours. Firstly are these Lemon & Raspberry Cupcakes, which just look so good, I mean who wouldn't be proud to serve these! Lemon cakes are probably one of my favourites and these only take around an hour to make so what's not to like?! Secondly I've gone with this Mango Sorbet, its light, refreshing and mango is definitely one of my go-to summer fruits!

Credit to Ashley from Baker by Nature for the recipe and image
Credit to Sandhya from Sandhya's Kitchen for the recipe and image

Snack

Everyone needs something they can grab as a snack at some point during the day don't they! Now snacks can come in many forms so I've chosen something savoury, something sweet and then something a bit healthier! Firstly are these Cheese & Pesto Whirls which would be perfect for a mid-morning snack and just look delicious! Alternatively, if you fancy something sweet then why not try this Cinnamon Pretzel recipe, it's so simple but the cinnamon sugar is just the best and makes for a great little treat. However, if you're looking for something a bit healthier then why not go for a Fruit Salad, which screams summer. This particular one combines some of my favourite fruits with a citrus-honey dressing and fresh mint, it would be the perfect snack on a hot day!

Credit to Cassie from BBC Good Food for the pesto recipe and image
Credit to Debbie from One Little Project for the pretzel recipe and image
Credit to Ingrid from The Cozy Apron for the fruit recipe and image

Drink 

Now I couldn't make a summer recipe post without adding a bit about drinks! When it's hot out, all you want to do is have a refreshing drink on hand and fruity flavours are definitely my first choice. This first recipe is for a Raspberry Peach Lemonade which just sounds so amazing and would be the perfect thing to drink on a summers day. It's also a great thing to make if you've got guests and is something a bit different from normal lemonade! I also love to drink smoothies at this time of the year, I love that there are so many variations and you can be really creative. However, my favourite has to be a Tropical Smoothie, this particular one includes 4 fruits: pineapple, mango, orange and banana which is definitely a combination I like but you could also add in whatever you fancy!

Credit to Amanda from The Chunky Chef for the lemonade recipe and image
Credit to Ali from Gimme Some Oven for the smoothie recipe and image

I hope to try out all of these recipes as they all sound amazing, be sure to let me know if you make any! Or if you'd like to check out my Pinterest board, where I've saved lots more recipes, then please head on over. I've organised it into sections so hopefully, it's pretty easy to find everything!