Sorry Lettuce, It's Not You, It's the Cyclosporiasis: Summer Recipes to Enjoy Anxiety-Free
None of these will give you diarrhea, at least not from a parasite. If you have IBS, I'm sorry, but there are no guarantees.
My home state of Ohio’s slogan is “The Heart of It All”. Unfortunately, right now we’re not only the heart of it all (the United States), but the heart of it all (the diarrhea parasite). Along with our neighbors to the north and the south, we’re really holding it down for suspicious lettuces (lettie?).
Of course, this is happening during a season when we most want to enjoy salads! A bevy of ripe tomatoes are just begging for a bed of fresh, leafy greens on which to rest their juicy heads. But alas, I’m not risking developing an intimate relationship with the toilet for a salad.
There are plenty of other fish in the sea—or rather, benign vegetables in the market—for us to enjoy this summer. You can let your anxiety take a back seat with these recipes that make the most of summer’s bounty, no lettuce needed.
Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef- Zucchinis are PLENTIFUL this time of year, and I love finding new ways to use them. This casserole is like a lighter take on lasagna, with a creamy tomato sauce, ground beef, and cheesy zucchini.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos- If all the vegetables are giving you the ick, roasting is the answer! Here, we roast summer squash and tomatoes right alongside shrimp for an easy sheet pan supper.
Spicy Asian Zucchini- A 10 minute side dish that’s perfect with fried rice, dumplings, stir fry, or noodles.
Chicken Margherita- Grilled chicken heaped with pesto, mozzarella cheese, and gobs of fresh cherry tomatoes. An easy dinner that makes you feel like you’re eating al fresco at a fancy restaurant.
Roasted Vegetable Sandwich- One of my all time favs, this roasted veggie sandwich is so satisfying and flavorful. You won’t miss the meat, I promise!
Roasted Zucchini and Peppers- This is really the ticket to filling the void left by salad. Roast your veggies, then top them with whatever fresh herbs you’ve got in the garden. Maybe give them a squeeze of lemon juice for good measure. So fresh! So satisfying!
Bruschetta Pasta- My easy summer dinner formula: Pasta + Olive Oil + Lemon Juice or Balsamic Vinegar + Tomatoes + Cheese. You’re welcome.
Poached Tilapia with Cherry Tomatoes- Fresh tomatoes are reduced with shallots and garlic into a sweet and savory white wine broth, then the fish is nestled right in the sauce to poach. It’s healthy, it’s colorful, and it’s done in 30 minutes flat.
Tomato Bacon Jam- GAH! THIS STUFF! It has no right to be so good. It should be weird, but it’s not. It’s just sweet savory perfection that you’ll want to slather on biscuits (it makes the BEST eggy breakfast sandwich!), BLTs, burgers, crackers, basically any excuse you can find to eat it up.
Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- Sure, you could make zucchini bread again, but why not turn the day into a celebration and make CAKE? With CREAM CHEESE FROSTING?
What are you making with all that fresh summer goodness? And how are you coping with a salad craving in these trying times? Lettuce know in the comments! (Truly, I’m sorry, but around here we cope with puns).