Recipes for your family

These items are courtesy of Team Nutrition’s Food Family & Fun: A Seasonal Guide to Healthy Eating, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Consumer Service.

Spaghetti with Marinated Tomatoes
Summer Grilled Chicken Salad
Baked Cajun Fish
Peach Cobbler
Quick Summer Fruit Shortcake
Homemade Salsa
Fruit Yogurt Shake
Watermelon Ice

Spaghetti with Marinated Tomatoes

15 minutes; Serves 8

1 lb. cooked spaghetti
1½ lb. fresh tomatoes (or whole canned tomatoes)
3 garlic cloves
A dozen fresh basil leaves (or ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley)
½ cup olive oil

Blanch fresh tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds and remove peel; cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds; slice tomatoes into thin strips.

Place tomatoes in a bowl and add crushed garlic, chopped basil, and olive oil.

Cook spaghetti according to directions on the box. Toss with marinated tomatoes. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese.

top of page

Summer Grilled Chicken Salad

30 minutes; Serves 4

French bread is nice with this dish.

4 chicken thighs, skinless
1½ tsp seasoned salt for grilling (optional)
2 ears of corn-on-the-cob, fresh with husk (frozen or canned may be used)
1 10 oz. package frozen lima beans, cooked
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
¼ cup low-fat Italian salad dressing

Start grill. Sprinkle the seasoned salt (optional) over the chicken thighs and grill them until done over medium high heat, about 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow to cool, remove the meat from the bone and dice into large pieces.

While the chicken is cooling, place the fresh corn-on-the-cob still in the husk on the grill for 15-20 minutes. Remove the corn kernels from the cob.

Combine diced chicken, corn kernels, and remaining ingredients. Toss with dressing and coat well.

top of page

Baked Cajun Fish

6 white fish portions, 3 oz. each (if frozen, thaw first in refrigerator)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1½ Tbsp margarine or butter, melted

Seasoning:
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp granulated garlic
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp ground oregano
1/8 tsp ground thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic, onion powder, white pepper, oregano, and thyme.

Place fish in an ungreased 13x9x2 baking pan. Sprinkle lemon juice and seasoning mixture evenly over fish. Drizzle melted margarine or butter evenly over fish portions. Bake for 20-25 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

top of page

Peach Cobbler

35 minutes; Serves 4

You can substitute any fruit in season: blueberries or strawberries work well.

4 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (or frozen, or canned peaches)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1½ Tbsp margarine or butter
½ cup low-fat milk

Toss the 4 Tbsp sugar with the peaches; place in a 1½-quart ovenproof dish. To make the dough, place the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl; add the margarine and milk; stir until well mixed.

Place the dish with peaches into the oven. Heat until warm and the sugar starts to melt. Drop the dough on top by spoonfuls. Bake in oven for about 35 minutes or until the fruit begins to bubble and the topping is slightly brown. Let it cool a bit and serve.

top of page

Quick Summer Fruit Shortcake

20 minutes; Serves 4

Frozen or canned fruit can be used in this recipe too

1 pint strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1 cup seedless grapes, cleaned and halved
2 peaches, diced
3 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup orange juice
4 slices angel food cake

If using strawberries, quarter them first. Combine berries, grapes, peaches, sugar, and orange juice in a large bowl. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Put one slice of cake on each plate; then portion the fruit and juices from the bowl on to of each slice of cake.

top of page

Homemade Salsa

15 minutes; Serves 6

1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
½ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
½ cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp (or less) jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced

Combine all of the above ingredients. Serve with low-fat baked tortilla (corn) chips, or fresh veggies, cut up.

top of page

Fruit Yogurt Shake

About 10 Minutes; Serves 2

1 cup fruit (peaches, strawberries, bananas), cut up
4 scoops (1 1/3 cups) nonfat frozen yogurt
2 cups skim milk, ice cold
2 Tbsp sugar

Cut up fruit and place all ingredients into blender, close top, then puree. Pour into chilled glasses. Serve with straws.

top of page

Watermelon Ice

5 minutes; Serves 1

1 cup watermelon, cubed
½ cup cracked ice
3 Tbsp of sugar
Squeezed juice of 1 lime

In a blender, place ice cubes, sugar, lime, and watermelon. Process until well blended. Place into freezer until slushy.

top of page

Find a feeding site near you Nutrition Resources »Nutrition Guides »Cookbooks Recipes for your family Related links Summer Food Service Program Home
		Recipes for your family These items are courtesy of Team Nutrition’s Food Family & Fun: A Seasonal Guide to Healthy Eating, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Consumer Service. Spaghetti with Marinated Tomatoes Summer Grilled Chicken Salad Baked Cajun Fish Peach Cobbler Quick Summer Fruit Shortcake Homemade Salsa Fruit Yogurt Shake Watermelon Ice Spaghetti with Marinated Tomatoes 15 minutes; Serves 8 1 lb. cooked spaghetti 1½ lb. fresh tomatoes (or whole canned tomatoes) 3 garlic cloves A dozen fresh basil leaves (or ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley) ½ cup olive oil Blanch fresh tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds and remove peel; cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds; slice tomatoes into thin strips. Place tomatoes in a bowl and add crushed garlic, chopped basil, and olive oil. Cook spaghetti according to directions on the box. Toss with marinated tomatoes. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese. top of page Summer Grilled Chicken Salad 30 minutes; Serves 4 French bread is nice with this dish. 4 chicken thighs, skinless 1½ tsp seasoned salt for grilling (optional) 2 ears of corn-on-the-cob, fresh with husk (frozen or canned may be used) 1 10 oz. package frozen lima beans, cooked 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped ¼ cup low-fat Italian salad dressing Start grill. Sprinkle the seasoned salt (optional) over the chicken thighs and grill them until done over medium high heat, about 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow to cool, remove the meat from the bone and dice into large pieces. While the chicken is cooling, place the fresh corn-on-the-cob still in the husk on the grill for 15-20 minutes. Remove the corn kernels from the cob. Combine diced chicken, corn kernels, and remaining ingredients. Toss with dressing and coat well. top of page Baked Cajun Fish 6 white fish portions, 3 oz. each (if frozen, thaw first in refrigerator) 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1½ Tbsp margarine or butter, melted Seasoning: ¼ tsp paprika ½ tsp granulated garlic ¼ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp white pepper 1/8 tsp ground oregano 1/8 tsp ground thyme Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic, onion powder, white pepper, oregano, and thyme. Place fish in an ungreased 13x9x2 baking pan. Sprinkle lemon juice and seasoning mixture evenly over fish. Drizzle melted margarine or butter evenly over fish portions. Bake for 20-25 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork. top of page Peach Cobbler 35 minutes; Serves 4 You can substitute any fruit in season: blueberries or strawberries work well. 4 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (or frozen, or canned peaches) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1½ Tbsp margarine or butter ½ cup low-fat milk Toss the 4 Tbsp sugar with the peaches; place in a 1½-quart ovenproof dish. To make the dough, place the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl; add the margarine and milk; stir until well mixed. Place the dish with peaches into the oven. Heat until warm and the sugar starts to melt. Drop the dough on top by spoonfuls. Bake in oven for about 35 minutes or until the fruit begins to bubble and the topping is slightly brown. Let it cool a bit and serve. top of page Quick Summer Fruit Shortcake 20 minutes; Serves 4 Frozen or canned fruit can be used in this recipe too 1 pint strawberries, cleaned and hulled 1 cup seedless grapes, cleaned and halved 2 peaches, diced 3 Tbsp sugar ¼ cup orange juice 4 slices angel food cake If using strawberries, quarter them first. Combine berries, grapes, peaches, sugar, and orange juice in a large bowl. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Put one slice of cake on each plate; then portion the fruit and juices from the bowl on to of each slice of cake. top of page Homemade Salsa 15 minutes; Serves 6 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced ½ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen ½ cup onion, diced 1 Tbsp (or less) jalapeno peppers, chopped 2 Tbsp lime juice 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced Combine all of the above ingredients. Serve with low-fat baked tortilla (corn) chips, or fresh veggies, cut up. top of page Fruit Yogurt Shake About 10 Minutes; Serves 2 1 cup fruit (peaches, strawberries, bananas), cut up 4 scoops (1 1/3 cups) nonfat frozen yogurt 2 cups skim milk, ice cold 2 Tbsp sugar Cut up fruit and place all ingredients into blender, close top, then puree. Pour into chilled glasses. Serve with straws. top of page Watermelon Ice 5 minutes; Serves 1 1 cup watermelon, cubed ½ cup cracked ice 3 Tbsp of sugar Squeezed juice of 1 lime In a blender, place ice cubes, sugar, lime, and watermelon. Process until well blended. Place into freezer until slushy. top of page