Outdoor Entertaining: Summer Breakfast in the Garden
I love opening the door to a bright, sunny morning inviting me to a walk through my garden with the promise of a new day’s surprises: the berries that have ripened overnight, the squash that has appeared like summer magic … it really is the best part of the day. As the sun blankets the world in warm golden hues, the faint rustle of leaves, the cheerful sounds of birds, the gentle roar of the ocean, and the fragrant scents of blossoms all create a tranquil backdrop to savor the delights of summer by enjoying a delicious breakfast in the garden.
My backyard garden provides me with so much joy, I love sharing it with weekend guests throughout the summer. With the season’s abundant harvest of fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs, sharing a morning meal surrounded by nature allows us to make the most of these summer mornings. Whether harvesting from your own backyard garden or choosing from a nearby market, plump berries, juicy melons, fragrant herbs, and leafy greens provide an abundance of ingredients to incorporate into a delightful breakfast spread. With nature already setting the stage, just add a table adorned with freshly picked flowers and all the pretty dishware you’ve picked up over the years just waiting for the right occasion to enjoy – this is certainly the occasion.
Now, let’s begin preparing a breakfast bursting with summer flavors. Start with a vibrant fruit salad featuring a medley of berries, mango, and citrus fruits adorned with freshly picked herbs for a burst of flavors to awaken the taste buds. This is truly summer in a bowl, and it’s just the beginning.
Summer’s gifts continue to provide delight with an array of garden-fresh vegetables that will elevate our breakfast to new heights. Our main course is a creamy herb ricotta on hearty garlic toast, topped with summer vegetables in a light marinade. I like this option for some veggies for breakfast that I can eat, not only drink in a smoothie. The base creamy layer over the garlic toast is ricotta plus chives, dill, and parsley. You could also throw in basil or just use basil on top. The middle tomato layer consists of halved, super ripe tomatoes marinaded with honey, vinegar, and salt and pepper. I also threw in a few ribbons of summer squash. You can lay it flat on the ricotta, but I like the interest the ribbons offer. Lastly, summer corn is a nice pop of sweetness in every bite. This recipe does not call for cooking the corn because of the sweet crunch it provides, but you could cook it if that is too much texture for you.
Benefiting from my backyard bounty once more, I’ll pick a handful of raspberries for some almond flour lemon-raspberry muffins. I only have one raspberry bush in my small yard, so I only get a handful every few days, but that’s enough, particularly with the splash of lemon. These muffins can be a sweet finish to breakfast, or can be packed up and serve as a delightful beach snack later in the day.
Finally, along with morning coffee or tea, serve guests a summer morning grapefruit-rosemary mimosa. Typically made from orange juice and Champagne, mimosas are light, fresh, and not overbearing. This mimosa recipe replaces orange juice with grapefruit juice and adds a touch of rosemary with a rosemary simple syrup. The Champagne-grapefruit combination is a match made in heaven, and the Champagne also might help with the beach nap you’ll all enjoy a few hours later.
What an excellent beginning to a memorable summer day shared with family and friends. Nature provides and we embrace the opportunity to savor the season’s sights, sounds, and simple pleasures of a bountiful breakfast in the garden.
Fresh Herb Fruit Salad with Honey and Lime
Ingredients:
6 cups fresh fruit, chopped (I used strawberries, pineapple, and peaches)
4 large basil leaves, chopped
4 large mint leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon lime zest
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions:
Combine the fruit in a large bowl with chopped basil and mint. Stir to combine. Whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, and honey. Pour the dressing over the fruit and stir to combine. For the best flavor, chill and let the flavors combine for at least two hours before serving. Top with chopped walnuts before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.
Raspberry - Lemon Almond Flour Muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons avocado oil (can also use coconut or olive oil)
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
zest of one lemon
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray or add nine paper liners to the tins. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. In a separate large bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold the lemon zest and raspberries into the batter. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and you are able to insert a toothpick into the center and have it come out clean.
Grapefruit - Rosemary Mimosa
Ingredients:
For rosemary simple syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
For cocktail:
1 cup grapefruit juice, chilled
¼ cup rosemary simple syrup
1 bottle Champagne
4 sprigs rosemary, for garnish
Instructions:
For rosemary simple syrup:
Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves — about 5 minutes. Do NOT let the mixture boil. Once sugar is dissolved, pour mix into a heat-safe container and put rosemary sprigs in. Let steep for one hour. Store simple syrup in fridge for up to 10 days.
For cocktail:
Add 1 tablespoon rosemary simple syrup and a half-cup grapefruit juice to each glass. Top off with Champagne in a one-to-one ratio. Garnish with rosemary and enjoy!
Creamy Herb Ricotta Toast with Summer Veggies
Ingredients:
3 one-inch slices of sourdough bread or other hearty bread of choice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 ounces whole milk ricotta
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch kosher salt
½ teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ shallot, thinly sliced
Small zucchini and squash, sliced thinly lengthwise using a peeler
1 small corn on the cob
Garnish options: thyme, basil, extra salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Brush slices of bread with olive oil and spread with desired amount of minced garlic. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, then broil while watching to desired crispness. While bread is in the oven, mix ricotta, chives, dill, and parsley in a small bowl and set aside. Add cherry tomatoes, pepper, salt honey, vinegar, and shallot to a small bowl. Toss to combine and set aside. Use a peeler or mandoline and thinly slice zucchini and squash into ribbons. Slice kernels of corn off the cob. When toast is removed from oven, spread with ricotta. Top with zucchini/squash, corn, tomato salad, extra herbs, salt and pepper.
