Watermelon Iced Tea Drink Recipe

It's watermelon season again, which means that it's supposed to be really wam here in Northern California, but alas, we're experiencing another cold spell. For those of you enjoying balmier temperatures, I present my incredibly refreshing watermelon iced tea drink.

I flavored the drink with fresh mint and agave nectar; you could omit the syrup depending on the sweetness of the watermelon. In addition to being delicious, this refreshing drink has multiple health benefits thanks to the green tea. It really is the perfect summer drink!

Homemade Baked Beans

Baked beans take quite some time to prepare but the result is so worth it. I made the baked beans from scratch; I soaked dried cannellini beans overnight and slowly cooked them until tender.

I used white beans because they are our family's favorite, but you could use any other kind of legume. The baked beans make not only a wonderful side dish but also a perfect complete meal for vegetarians, thanks to all the protein in these hearty white beans.

Black Bean Burger (Homemade Veggie Burger Recipe)

Have you started preparing your 4th of July menu? I always plan ahead, because along with ribs, burgers and hot dogs, I have come up with a vegetarian option as well. As always, there's going to be a platter of grilled vegetables, corn on the cob and fire-roasted sweet potatoes but I still wanted to make a "main course" worthy vegetarian dish that's substantial and filling.

After polling the herbivores in my house, I settled on black bean burgers. They're just seasoned, mashed black beans bound together with lecithin and xanthan gum. You could always use an egg instead if there are no dietary restrictions or allergies to contend with. A couple of minutes on the grill and they're good to go. You could also opt for other legumes such as pinto beans, chickpeas, kidney beans or fava beans.

I'll probably grill the veggie burgers first, then cook the regular meat burgers and let each guest assemble their sandwich with tomato slices, greens and onions. What could be better on Independence Day than a little freedom?

Kumquat Olive Relish Recipe

Mustard and ketchup don't have to be the only condiments on your table. You can make your own that are, dare I say, unique and more flavorful. For example, whenever I serve grilled chicken breasts, tuna or even grilled tofu, I like to enhance the usual bland dish with a flavorful relish. I recently served the relish with Gouda cheese  and crackers. The two pair wonderfully. 

I recently used kumquat marmalade from last winter and mixed it with large, meaty and slightly sweet olives. In addition to imparting a citrus flavor, this olive relish also adds a pleasant texture to the food. Best of all, it can be prepared way in advance.

Cold Rice Salad with Papaya

We finally have beautiful sunshine in the Bay Area. We've been waiting for the sun for so long that today, in honor of our quite overdue patron of summer, I prepared a dish that is refreshing, healthy and flavorful.

Specifically, I made a cold rice and papaya salad. I boiled brown rice, and mixed in vegetables, steamed lentils, lime juice, ginger and fresh papaya. The key to good rice salad is to have a homogeneous mixture. All the ingredients should be cut the same size. The other factor for a good salad in general is a flavorful dressing. I met that requirement with a sweet and spicy papaya ginger dressing.

This version is vegetarian, but you could also finish the salad with grilled jumbo shrimp in shells or grilled chicken breasts. Also, I served it in tea cups. For an original presentation, you could serve it in papaya halves. Here comes the sun!