Lemony Spiced Orzo and Chickpeas

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Lemony orzo and chickpeas are simmered in a lightly-spiced broth and tossed with spinach.

A new favorite 1-pan, 10-ingredient, 30-minute meal here in our house. ♡

Orzo and chickpeas are simmered in a golden broth with turmeric, cumin, onion, garlic, lemon zest and a hint of hot chili flakes until tender. Then just wilt in a few handfuls of baby spinach, add one final big splash of lemon juice, and sprinkle on some fresh cilantro (if that’s your thing). And this gorgeous, flavorful, simple dinner will be ready to serve in no time!

We’ve enjoyed serving this one on its own for a simple vegetarian dinner, or adding some pan-seared salmon or shrimp on the side. Or we’ve found that this recipe also tastes just as delicious served cold as a pasta salad, making it a great option for picnics, potlucks, or grill nights this time of year.

However you serve these orzo and chickpeas, I hope you love them as much as we do!

Lemony Spiced Orzo and Chickpeas Ingredients

Here are a few brief notes about the ingredients you will need to make this orzo and chickpeas recipe:

• Orzo: The lovely al dente texture of orzo pairs beautifully with the chickpeas and soaks up all of that deliciously spiced broth while cooking. I love using orzo in this dish because it cooks quickly, but you’re welcome to substitute in any other small pasta shape that you may have on hand.
• Chickpeas: A can of chickpeas adds delicious nutty flavor, creamy texture, and extra protein to this dish.
• Greens: We love stirring in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach or chopped kale at the end for an extra pop of color and nutrients. The hot orzo and chickpeas will wilt the greens after just a minute or so of stirring.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon brightens up the flavor of this dish and its tanginess perfectly balances the warmth of the spices. We’ll use both the zest and juice of one small lemon to maximize its flavor.
• Onion and garlic: Fresh onion and garlic serve as our base aromatics in this recipe, which we will sauté in a drizzle of olive oil.
• Spices: A simple blend of ground turmeric, ground cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes add a delicious earthiness, rich golden color, and subtle hint of heat to the orzo and chickpeas. Don’t forget to also taste and season the dish before serving with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
• Broth: We typically use vegetable broth to cook the orzo, but chicken broth could work as a substitute too.
• Cilantro: Finally, we love topping this dish with a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro. But if cilantro isn’t your thing, chopped fresh chives, mint, or parsley would be delicious too, or you could just skip the extra herbs all together.

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Watermelon Salad with Whipped Feta

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Fresh watermelon and cucumber are tossed with lemon and mint and served over a bed of silky whipped feta.

For all of you fellow watermelon feta salad lovers out there…consider this twist on the classic with whipped feta! ♡

I should probably back up by saying that we make some version of a watermelon feta salad here in our family at least once a week in the summertime. It’s my husband’s favorite summer salad, and while we were living in Barcelona, he would eagerly volunteer to haul a heavy watermelon the kilometer’s walk home to our flat, chop it up to toss with mint and feta, and then usually polish off half of the bowl before dinner, lol. Needless to say, we’re big fans of watermelon salads here during the summertime, and that classic pairing with feta, mint and cucumbers (I love the extra crunch) is always such a winner.

In an effort to mix things up the past few years, I occasionally started tossing the feta in the food processor with some Greek yogurt to create a bed of silky, creamy, whipped cheese as the base for the salad. And it has turned out to be such a fun way to mix things up, especially for entertaining! Enjoy the salad with a fork or serve it with toothpicks for dipping — whatever you’d like. And if you’d like to add in some arugula, avocado, pistachios or a drizzle of balsamic glaze, the sky’s the limit with fun customizations here.

However you make this watermelon feta salad, it’s one of those refreshing recipes that never fails to hit the spot. So the next time you see some ripe watermelon, whip up that feta and give it a try!

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Cauliflower Steaks with Hummus and Gremolata

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Zesty cauliflower steaks are served over hummus and sprinkled with a lemony pine nut gremolata.

One of those low-effort, high-reward recipes you are going to want to make again and again. ♡

Seriously, we’ve been completely obsessed with this recipe over the past few months and can’t get enough of this gorgeous mix of flavors. The cauliflower steaks are seasoned with an earthy mix of smoked paprika, cumin and black pepper, then briefly pan-seared and baked in until tender. While those are in the oven, we mix up a bright and zippy pine nut gremolata made with lots of fresh mint, parsley, lemon and garlic. The hot cauliflower steaks are then served over a swirl of hummus (homemade or store-bought), sprinkled with the gremolata, and finished with an extra drizzle of olive oil. And just like that…an absolutely delicious vegetarian dinner will be yours to enjoy.

This recipe actually happens to be both vegan and gluten-free too, and can easily be prepped ahead of time if you’d like to make a larger batch for entertaining or a small batch for a normal weeknight. We typically serve ours with a simple side salad and a loaf of good crusty bread to mop up any extra hummus. And it always, always hits the spot.

Let’s make some cauliflower steaks!

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Ginger Lime Pork Tenderloin

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This grilled ginger lime pork tenderloin recipe is incredibly easy to make and bursting with rich, savory flavor.

Today we’re throwing back to one of the very (very, very!) first recipes I ever shared here back in the summer of 2009 — this grilled ginger lime pork tenderloin. ♡

All of these years later, it’s still one of my favorite recipes to toss on the grill in the summertime, especially since it only requires a quick 15-minute marinade! Simply combine lots of lime zest and juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to form the zesty marinade. Let that mingle with the pork for 15 minutes (or up to 4 hours). Pop the tenderloins on the grill until they are perfectly charred and tender and juicy. Sprinkle with some more lime juice, a pinch of flaky sea salt for some crunch, and extra black pepper. Then slice, serve and enjoy.

It’s one of those low-effort, high-reward recipes that’s perfect for easygoing summer evenings when you can’t be bothered to spend much time cooking. I recommend serving it up with some grilled veggies or a simple side salad, and an absolutely delicious dinner can be ready to go in no time.

Let’s get to grilling!

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Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

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This easy summer dessert recipe can be made in less than 20 minutes and is the perfect way to celebrate when fresh peaches are in season.

Warm and juicy quick-grilled peaches. Cool and refreshing vanilla ice cream. A generous drizzle of hot bourbon caramel sauce.

I’m telling you — this simple summertime dessert is an absolute winner every single time. ♡

Seriously, we’ve made these grilled peaches approximately a thousand times over the past few summers, and this recipe always gets such rave reviews from family and friends. It’s easy to make outdoors if you already have the grill fired up, or can also be made easily indoors on a grill pan. It comes together easily in just 20 minutes, or less than 10 if you’ve already prepped the homemade bourbon caramel sauce beforehand. It’s easy to scale up for a large crowd or make a small batch for just a serving or two. And it’s endlessly customizable with any extra toppings that you might want to add on top. (Here’s lookin’ at you, nuts, crumbled cookies, herbs or chocolate!)

It’s the perfect recipe to have in your back pocket this time of year when you’re needing a quick and easy dessert. And I highly recommend making a double batch of that bourbon caramel sauce while you’re at it, because trust me, you’re going to want to drizzle that magical sauce on just about everything.

Alright, let’s make some grilled peaches!
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