A Few Spring/Early Summer Recipes; A Menu for Summer Entertaining

Warm Kale, Coconut, and Tomato Salad: requires heating up the oven, but I suspect could also be done well in a grill basket. And it's sooo worth it.

Jamie Oliver's "Eggplant Parmesan": better not to think of it as Eggplant Parm, because it's not really very like it, but it's delicious.

Tender and Easy Buttermilk Waffles: true to their name, and they freeze and reheat (in a toaster oven) very very well.

ALSO: we had folks over for a grown-up dinner party and had this as the menu:

• Chicken Shawarma
• oven-roasted cubed eggplant (I didn't pre-treat with salt/drain and it was totally fine)
• pitas
• hummus
• feta
• chopped tomatoes and cucumbers (I used a "burpless" variety)
• olives

Just served all of the above separately and let people assemble their own. We had drinks and for dessert ice cream. I didn't come up with a good appetizer-type thing, but it worked out anyway.

some recipes to remember

Roasted Cabbage with Mustard Vinaigrette (so good, and also convinced me that I should roast cabbage more often)

Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Ragout (we've been roasting a lot of veggies on the weekend for eating during the week, which makes this into a super-fast pre-prepped weeknight dinner. also it will make your house smell amazing.)

Seitan Porcini Stew (delicious, you won't miss the beef)

Marinated Tempeh (ended up tasting oddly cheesy when added to a salad, but in a way I enjoyed)

Pasta with Tomatoes, Corn, Squash, and Ricotta (yep, this is a summer recipe - it's been a long time since I've posted here)

Yotam Ottolenghi's Legume (Noodle) Soup (amazing, but best eaten the first or second day)

Balsamic Grilled Potatoes (another summer recipe, this was basic but is a technique I want to remember)

Farro Salad with Cranberries (a delicious and healthy make-ahead lunch)

Wheat Berry Salad with Blood Oranges (ditto)

Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini (both great on its own and mixed into a bunch of greens)

Paloma (for summer parties)

Pan-fried Chicken with Asparagus and Lemon (and Potatoes) (simple, and springy - will probably make this again soon)