She Strengthens

Summer Harvest Bowls

Fresh from the Farm

Imagine biting into a juicy ear of corn that’s so sweet, it’ll ruin you for any other corn forever. That’s what you get when you taste the legendary corn from Chino Ranch, a San Diego farm famous for its extraordinary produce. As a local, I’m lucky to have access to their delicious veggies and to call the Chinos friends.

Celebrating the Season

To honor the Chinos and their ever-changing harvest, I love serving bowls that showcase the best of summer. And the best part? You can customize them to your heart’s content!

Grilled Vegetable Bowl

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 red or yellow bell peppers
• 2 ears corn, shucked
• ½ pound Romano beans, green beans, or yellow beans
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 pint small cherry tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup cooked farro
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
• ½ cup fresh basil

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to high heat. Brush the veggies with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill the veggies until they’re charred, turning to grill all sides. Remove each veggie to a plate as it’s done.
3. Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Remove and discard the cores and seeds from the bell peppers and slice them into thin strips.
4. Serve family-style with big platters of summer veggies, sauces in small bowls, and grains for everyone to make their own bowls.

Kale Pistachio Pesto

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups packed torn kale leaves
• ½ cup packed fresh parsley or basil leaves
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pistachios (or pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts), toasted
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Blend all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a blender or food processor until smooth with some flecks.
2. Stir in the lemon juice just before using. Refrigerate for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before using.

Bagna Cauda

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 (1½- to 2-ounce) can or jar of anchovies (8 to 11 anchovy fillets)
• 6 garlic cloves, grated
• A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• A few turns of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and the butter and oil just start to sizzle.
2. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Serve warm.

Enjoy your delicious summer harvest bowls!