At my local farmers market there is MUCH more colourful produce; it’s hard not to buy all of it!

And, my rhubarb plant is THRIVING already. I do a happy-dance every year when that plant pops because I am such a fan of all rhubarb recipes. If you’re a rhubarb fan like me, here a couple of my favourite ways to enjoy it:

In a cocktail: Rhubarb simple syrup is easy to make and keeps in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Mix it with some gin and soda for the perfect patio cocktail.

In dessert: This Rhubarb Cake is so easy to make and honestly just delicious. Or if you want to make something simpler, try ice cream sundaes with a strawberry-rhubarb sauce.

What’s In Season in June

It’s time for Summer produce to make it’s way onto your weekly menus! So, let’s chat what’s in season for this month plus tips for planting a vegetable or herb garden at home.

What else is there to make this month?! Here are more recipes to make in June:

• Asparagus
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Cherries
• Fresh Herbs
• Mango
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Radishes
• Rhubarb

Fruity Smoothies

Blueberry Bliss Smoothie

Bright and Fresh Green Mojito Smoothie Recipe

High Protein Cherry Pie Smoothie (no protein powder)

The Best Green Tropical Island Smoothie Recipe

Tropical Blood Orange Smoothie

Salads

Market Spring Vegetable Salad

Blueberry Basil Summer Green Salad with Goat Cheese

Easy Thai Inspired Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

The Best Strawberry Summer Salad Recipe with Feta

Easy Green Summer Chopped Salad (with meal prep tips)

Quick Appetizers

Marinated Mozzarella Balls with Garlic, Lemon & Herbs

Lemon and Fresh Basil Burrata Cheese Appetizer

Easy Baked Feta Appetizer with Tomatoes and Peppers

Easy Weeknight Dinners

Peanut Chicken Power Bowls

Easy Chili Lime Baked Salmon with Mango Salsa

Sheet Pan Baked Feta Dinner with Vegetables & Beans

Quick Spring Gnocchi with Asparagus, Pesto & Lemon

30 Minute One Pan Flavorful Pesto Orzo Recipe With Tomatoes

One Pan Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

20-Minute One Pot Garlic and Herb Boursin Pasta

One Pan Dump and Bake Ramen Noodles with Vegetables

Recipes with Rhubarb

Strawberry Rhubarb Toasted Oat Sundaes

Easy Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe With Crumb Topping

Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies with Lemon Icing

Easy & Delicious Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp Recipe

Quick and Easy Puff Pastry Rhubarb Tart Recipe

Cocktail Season

Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria

The Best Lavender French 75 Cocktail Recipe

Refreshing Watermelon Mojito Cocktail for Summer

Cucumber Cider Smash

Here are my top tips to starting a vegetable garden at home

Are you growing  any of your own herbs or vegetables at home? There’s definitely been an uptick in growing your own food this Spring and into Summer. At our house we have two container gardens along with a few smaller pots with herbs and tomatoes.

Look up what growing ‘zone’ you’re located in.

Here’s one plant map, if you scroll down a bit you’ll find each Canadian province listed which you can click on and find out the zone you’re in. This can help inform what you may try to grow in a vegetable garden. I’ve had great success with a variety of lettuces, peppers, tomatoes, radishes, carrots and beets – we’re in zone 4.

Experiment

Honestly the fun part of gardening is just trying different seeds to see what works! Last year I even tried my hand at growing potatoes in a very deep container and it worked. A friend of mine bought a strawberry plant in a hanging basket and is already getting delicious berries!

Start small

When I first started a backyard garden I tried a bit of everything. Depending on your space, you could start with a pot or two of herbs. Or, try your hand at tomatoes which do well in containers too. Since we tried a ton of different vegetables in our first year, now we know what grows well from Spring to Summer.

Growing your own food is absolutely so satisfying. Once we’re in the midst of the summer I love being able to go outside and pick what I need for the recipe I’m cooking. Whether its jalapeños for tacos, herbs for making cocktails or carrots towards the end of summer, it’s so neat to enjoy the food you’ve grown.

I’d love to know which herbs or vegetables you’re growing this year; let me know in the comments below OR if you have any questions!

The post 30 Seasonal Recipes to Make in June appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

A delectable pea mixture is topped with creamy ricotta and toasted hazelnuts for the most divine Springtime bite.

You can easily make this pea crostini appetizer ahead of time and then assemble just before guests arrive!

Crostini appetizers like this pear crostini with goat cheese and this Quick Berry Brie Crostini Appetizer one are some of my favourite appetizers to make when entertaining. I love the simplicity of the ingredients and that you can generally prepare all of the crostini components ahead of time.

Why you’ll love this Spring pea crostini appetizer

• These crostini are bursting with a ton of Springtime flavour!
• You only need a handful of seasonal ingredients.
• Make the pea mixture ahead of time and then simply assemble!
• Using frozen peas makes this recipe so easy and quick.

Ingredients to make this appetizer

Frozen peas: frozen green peas that have been defrosted make this pea crostini recipe super easy; if possible, try to find ‘sweetlets’ which are just a tad sweeter pea

Ricotta cheese: I love the creaminess the ricotta cheese adds to the fresh pea mixture

Lemon: a bit of fresh lemon zest adds brightness to the pea crostini

Hazelnuts: toasted hazelnuts are a lovely flavour in the Springtime

Seasonings: salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and a garlic clove are used to season the sweet peas

Baguette: you’ll need a baguette to make the crostini along with a drizzle of olive oil on each piece

Chives or parsley: fresh herbs like chives or parsley pair wonderfully with the peas and hazelnuts – this garnish is optional

How to make these easy pea crostini

Step 1: Make the pea crostini – Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit. Use a bread knife to slice a baguette into 1-inch thick slices, about 20-24 slices. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the bread slices with extra-virgin olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on the sheet pan. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5 minutes until toasted. Set aside.

Step 2: For the pea mixture – To a large food processor, add the peas, salt, pepper, chili flakes, grated parmesan cheese, garlic clove and olive oil. Pulse on/off for 30 seconds until you get a chunky pea mixture and then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The texture won’t be fully smooth, some pea pieces are ok!

Step 3: Assemble the crostini – Spread 1-2 tablespoons of pea pesto on the crostini. Top with 1 heaping teaspoon of ricotta cheese and then garnish with toasted hazelnuts and lemon zest. Place the finished crostini on a serving tray, serve and enjoy immediately!

Expert tips for making this crostini appetizer

• Make the pea mixture up to 1 day ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  Follow the instructions to assemble the crostini the next day.
• Make sure to only pulse the pea mixture on/off until you get a lightly textured mixture. I don’t recommend fully pureeing until smooth.
• This pea mixture can also be made into a light lunch! Spread the pea mixture on large slices of toasted bread and garnish with the hazelnuts, ricotta and chives or parsley. Or, you can switch up the toppings and use micro greens, pea shoots or mint leaves instead.

Common questions

Can I use a mini food processor instead?
You might need to process the peas in batches instead of all at once if you decide to use a mini food processor.

Can I use fresh peas instead?
If you’re going to use fresh peas, I recommend blanching them in hot water for a few minutes and then placing in an ice bath. After a few minutes in an ice bath, remove and then add to the food processor along with the other ingredients.

What if I don’t like ricotta cheese?
If ricotta cheese isn’t for you, try crumbled feta cheese instead.

How to store

Make the pea mixture up to 1 day ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  Follow the instructions to assemble the crostini the next day. Make the crostini (toasted bread) on the day of serving the recipe – they are best enjoyed the day they’re made.

More crostini appetizers to love from the blog

Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Appetizer with Crostini

Butternut Squash Crostini Appetizer with Crispy Sage

Blueberry and Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer

Print

Easy Spring Pea Crostini with Ricotta & Hazelnuts

These Spring Pea Crostini are a bright appetizer for the season! Top with ricotta, crunchy hazelnuts & lemon zest for a perfect Spring bite.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword crostini, green peas, peas

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 20 -24 crostini

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 1 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces (about 20-24 pieces)

For the peas mixture

• 285 g (10 oz or 2 cups) frozen peas, defrosted and drained of any extra water
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes or red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 small garlic clove
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For assembly

• 1/2 cup full fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• optional: fresh minced parsley or chives

Instructions

Make the crostini

• Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit. Use a bread knife to slice a baguette into 1-inch thick slices, about 20-24 slices. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5 minutes until toasted. Set aside.

For the peas and ricotta

• To a large food processor, add the peas, salt, pepper, chili flakes, grated parmesan cheese, garlic clove and olive oil.

  Pulse on/off for 30 seconds until you get a chunky pea mixture and then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The texture won't be fully smooth, some pea pieces are ok!

Assemble the crostini

• Spread 1-2 tablespoons of pea pesto on the crostini. Top with 1 heaping teaspoon of ricotta cheese and then garnish with toasted hazelnuts and lemon zest. Place the finished crostini on a serving tray, serve and enjoy immediately!

  Optional: top with fresh herbs like minced fresh parsley or minced fresh chives

The post Easy Spring Pea Crostini with Ricotta & Hazelnuts appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

It can be a bit of an odd time of year for cooking; do you want lighter dishes or still into more hearty, Winter dishes.

I think you can have both! So, let’s chat recipes to make this month plus cookbook favourites.

This last month we celebrate my husband and my birthdays so lets just say we ate A LOT of cake!

I made this coconut cake from Ina Garten which was absolutely divine, especially if you love coconut. And later in the month I made a Hazelnut Cake with Nutella Icing.

For my birthday dinner I made us oven-fried chicken sandwiches, a recipe I’m testing for the blog and we cracked a lovely bottle of champagne! It was a very good day 🙂

I’m still obsessed with Half-Baked Harvest’s Super Simple cookbook so we’ve been making many recipes from it. There is a parchment baked salmon with potatoes in the cookbook that we’re loving; this salmon recipe from the Half-Baked Harvest blog is pretty similar and just as good!

If you’re looking for a delicious plant-based meal to try this next month, check out Healthyish’s Pantry Pasta with Vegan Cream Sauce. Beans are used to make the creamy sauce and it’s legit super tasty and easy! I’m 100% keeping the ingredients in my pantry for when my pasta cravings strike.

ANY chance I get I like to make lighter, Spring-like dishes during March I do. But, I always have room for a cozy recipe here and there when the weather prescribes it like this Healthy Olive Oil Banana Bread from Zestful Kitchen.

So with that in mind, what ingredients are in season in March? Here are recipes to make in March from the blog:

Cabbage – Easy Cauliflower Tacos

Citrus – Cranberry Chocolate Scones with Orange Glaze

Greens – Mojito Smoothie

Mushrooms – Mushroom Tart

Leeks – Swiss Chard, Goat Cheese & Leek Frittata

Peas – Easy Pea Soup

So many delicious recipes to make in March to take us from Winter into the Spring season!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Recipes to Make in March appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

I love this time of year; going to the farmers market to see all of the bright and fresh produce and of course using it in my cooking.

Spring also brings a sense of freshness and inspiration to me, so here are my favourite things from this past month including cookbooks, recipes and florals to brighten up your day!

March went by in a flash but I’ve definitely spent some time enjoying two new books from the library. First, I’ve been thoroughly loving Modern Lunch by Allison Day. The recipes totally shake-up what you ‘think’ lunch should be with some seriously delicious flavour combinations. What I really enjoy about the book is the ‘mix and match’ sections that give you a ton of ideas for using different recipes together for delicious lunches!

The second book I cannot get enough of is The Cook’s Atelier. Simply put, you are transported a French cooking school and culinary boutique in a town in France. With beautiful photos, recipes and stories from their cooking school, it’s absolutely a divine read!

And, I always like trying out other bloggers’ recipes, like these Baked Teriyaki Meatballs with Roasted Broccoli from The Modern Proper. I made this as a ‘build your own bowl’ kind of dinner for family and they absolutely LOVED it!

So, what are we cooking as we head into April? Here’s some inspiration for you!

Almonds – Almond Butter Squares

Grapefruit – Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail

Leeks – Leek & Pancetta Pasta

Peas – Easy Pea Soup

Radishes – Spring Toasts with Radishes, Pea Shoots & Feta

Spinach – Bacon, Mushroom & Spinach Quiche

So, what’s your favourite Spring ingredient!? Is there a recipe you’d love to see on the blog?? I’d love to hear from you!

I’m also making a list of DIY projects because I am in the mood to create! I’m going to try my hand at these DIY Watercolour Cloth Napkins to use in an upcoming photoshoot so stay tuned to see how those turn out.

And, I’ll have some highlights from a trip to Arizona to share with you too!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.