From Garden to Table: 10 Healthy Summer Recipes You’ll Adore!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy + disclosures for details.

Wondering how to best enjoy fresh produce from your garden or a farmer’s market? From tomatoes and eggplants to juicy berries and ripe nectarines, try these ten plant-based recipes that celebrate the fresh flavors of the season.

Crispy Baked Eggplant (Vegan)

Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Make eggplant with whole grain and vegan ingredients: perfect by itself for an Italian-style appetizer or side dish, or as the base for a pasta dish, wrap, or eggplant parm!

GET THE RECIPE: Crispy Baked Eggplant

Jamie Oliver’s “Mothership” Tomato Salad

cherry tomatoes in a variety of colors in dressing on plate.
Image Credit: Jennifer DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Savor the taste of fresh summer tomatoes with herbs, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Try these easy to make recipe with a ton of flavor.

GET THE RECIPE: Jamie Oliver’s “Mothership” Tomato Salad

Blueberry Lavender Iced Tea Mocktail

Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

The blueberry lavender iced tea mocktail offers refreshing blueberry and lime flavors without any added sugar. It’s the perfect drink to cool you down on a hot summer day!

GET THE RECIPE: Blueberry Lavender Iced Tea Mocktail

Fresh Cantaloupe Berry Nice Cream

scoops of cantaloupe berry nice cream in 2 bowls and a half of a cantaloupe.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

This berry nice cream, bursting with fresh cantaloupe flavor, is a healthy, light dessert. It’s vegan, dairy-free, has no added sugar, and is made without bananas.

GET THE RECIPE: Fresh Cantaloupe Berry Nice Cream

Triple Berry Nectarine Crisp

A fruit salad in a large serving bowl.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

This triple berry nectarine crisp is a juicy and sweet summer dessert that’s easy to make. Vegan and gluten-free, it contains less added sugar and fat than typical fruit crisps, making it a healthier option.

GET THE RECIPE: Triple Berry Nectarine Crisp

Chocolate Mocha Nice Cream

chocolate mocha nice cream with chocolate shavings in 2 bowls, ice cream scoop and coffee beans on blue kitchen towel.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Chocolate mocha nice cream is a creamy, delicious dessert you can easily make at home, perfect for summer. This lighter ice cream alternative uses bananas and peanut butter as its base, so you can enjoy a refreshing treat without dairy.

GET THE RECIPE: Chocolate Mocha Nice Cream

Kiwi Pineapple Sorbet

Sorbet in a bread pan.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Make Kiwi Pineapple Sorbet at home without an ice cream maker for a fresh, light, and easy dessert. This dairy-free, vegan treat cools you down on hot summer days with just four ingredients!

GET THE RECIPE: Kiwi Pineapple Sorbet

Fresh Tomato Lime Salad Dressing with Cilantro

glass bowl with tomato-lime cilantro dressing, salad, lime wedges, and bread on napkin table.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Enjoy this homemade salad dressing, ideal for elevating your green salads, taco bowls, or marinating tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms. Fresh cilantro and lime juice allow your flavors to shine!

GET THE RECIPE: Fresh Tomato Lime Salad Dressing with Cilantro

Vegan BLT Salad with Avocado Dressing

Plate with tempeh chunks, lettuce, tomato, carrots, and avocado lemon dressing.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Vegan BLT salad is a savory, crunchy dish that captures fresh summer flavors. This recipe uses seasoned, thin strips of tempeh bacon as a delicious plant-based alternative.

GET THE RECIPE: Vegan BLT Salad with Avocado Dressing

Blueberry Coffee Cake – Without Dairy or Eggs

Blueberry coffee cake on a serving plate.
Image Credit: Melissa Altman-Traub for Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Try this coffee cake made with olive oil and layered with cinnamon streusel. It can be made in the oven or an Instant Pot to keep your kitchen cool.

GET THE RECIPE: Blueberry Coffee Cake – Without Dairy or Eggs

About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *