Heirloom Tomato and Red Corn Shrimp Sauté

Summer screams for simplicity, especially when local produce is at its peak of brightness and flavor. Though I frequent the farmers markets, I'm especially impressed with Whole Foods' local produce selection, which features stunning vegetables, fruits and starches. I plucked a few ears of red corn and a pint of tri-colored sweet cherry tomatoes; and, alas, another 15-minute meal for two was born. Whip this up after work or on a Sunday evening, and don't forget to pair it with a bottle of crisp white wine from Whole Foods Germantown's new selection of wine!

Makes 2 servings

1/2 pound ruby red shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cups spinach 2 ears red corn, husked 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh basil, roughly chopped Sea salt and black pepper 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1. Brush corn with olive oil and place on a hot grill pan. Cook for five minutes, rotating to grill evenly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before cutting corn kernels.

2. Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a pot. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to pan and cook evenly, flipping after 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes to pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add corn and basil, continuing to sauté until fragrant. Then, add spinach and toss until just beginning to wilt. Season combination with extra salt and pepper, and sprinkle with feta. Serve immediately with a crusty baguette and glass of chilled pinot grigio.

This post is brought to you by Whole Foods Market Germantown. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

Seared Tuna over Cucumber Jicama Slaw

Y'all, this heat is heavy. In need of a light and cool summer meal, I aimed for an airy Asian dish that highlights natural flavors and awe-inspiring colors. I plucked both the ahi tuna and cucumber at the Memphis Farmers Market last Saturday, and I spotted some prepped jicama at my Whole Foods location. Ten minutes prep max yields a ten-fold amount of impressionable plating and tasting!

Serve alongside a crisp dry Pinot Grigio and, perhaps, a shareable bowl of steamed edamame. Cheers!

Makes 2 servings

1 ahi tuna steak 1 teaspoon canola oil 2 cucumbers 1 package pre-cut jicama 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice vinegar Black sesame seeds Sea salt Eel sauce, to serve

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of tuna steak with salt and black pepper. Place tuna in pan, searing for 1 minute. Flip and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and allow to rest.

2. Spiralize cucumber into thin ribbons. Slice jicama into thin strips. Mix vegetables with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt and sesame seeds.

3. Slice tuna into 1/4-inch pieces. Create a cucumber-jicama nest, and place tuna on top. Drizzle with eel sauce and, if needed, add additional sea salt. Serve cold.

Zucchini Pasta with Fava and English Peas

Perhaps it's due to my tiny basil plant growing in the corner of my window, or my last month's bounty of local produce; but nonetheless, I have been craving a garden-inspired dish for the summertime dinner table.

Saturday morning, I strolled 'round the corner to the farmers market. I found a bag of English peas, already peeled (yes.), and a couple of bright green zucchini. Thus, the garden pasta plan was born. Though linguine or bucatini would have been fabulous, I felt proud of the healthier spiralizer alternative in mind. P.S. If you do not yet own a spiralizer, Whole Foods offers pre-spiralized packages of vegetables!

Perfect for summer nights, even my steak-and-potatoes fiancé approved. What's your latest spiralized creation?

Makes 4 servings

2 zucchini, spiralized 1/2 cup English peas 1/2 cup fava peas, peeled 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta, seasoned with salt and pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon basil, ribboned Truffle oil, to drizzle Sea salt Red pepper flakes

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Prepare a small ice bath to set aside. Add fava and English peas to boiling water for 2 minutes; immediately drain and add to ice bath to stop cooking.

2. Add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook zucchini noodles for 3-4 minutes, until cooked through but not soggy! Turn off heat and toss in basil, sea salt, and a drizzle of truffle oil.

3. Plate zucchini and top with ricotta and peas. Sprinkle with additional basil, salt and red pepper flakes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tofu Avocado Lettuce Wraps

Daylight savings and this seriously addictive spring weather have prompted a post-work routine of River-view runs (when I'm not at Loflin), followed by creative dinners on the patio. During the last documented occurrence, I toyed with a one-pan chicken sausage sauté. This time at Whole Foods, however, the tofu caught my eye. I was initially intimidated by the cooking process of tofu, but my friend  Jeanine Donofrio appeased my suspicion through her new Love and Lemons cookbook. I felt immediately inspired by the pages' bright colors and wholesome ingredients. Here's my attempt at Jeanine's well-followed style and technique...

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Makes 4 servings

Bibb lettuce leaves 1 14 ounce box of extra firm tofu 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 glove garlic, minced 1/8 teaspoon black sesame seeds 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1 lime 1 teaspoon honey Heirloom carrots, shaved Radishes, shaved 1 avocado, cubed Srirarcha

1. Remove tofu from package and slice into 1-inch cubes. Carefully blot tofu with a paper towel to remove water.

2. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds, juice of a lime, and honey. Toss tofu in oil mixture and allow to marinade for 15 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tofu in batches, ensuring that tofu pieces have at least once inch between them. Cook untouched, until pan-facing side is caramelized and golden. Flip and continue to cook. Remove tofu from pan and add remaining batches until all is prepared.

4. Layer carrots, tofu, avocado and radish on lettuce leaves. Top with srirarcha and serve.

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One-Pan Italian Chicken Sausage Sauté

Weeknights become infinitely better with a patio on hand. Don't you think? The patio atmosphere offers a magical advancement to dinners, especially simple menus that otherwise seem to be a mindless routine. This one-pan sauté of Italian flavors can be infinitely elevated with sunlight, a table and a glass of sauvignon blanc. Put yourself in vacation mode -- even on a Tuesday after work -- and enjoy this new staple supper!

Makes 4 servings

1 pound mild Italian chicken sausage, crumbled 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 can white cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. In a large pot (Le Creuset, if you have it), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts face-down in an even layer, and cook untouched for 4-5 minutes, until beginning to brown.

2. Move brussels over to one side of the pan, and add sausage and garlic to the other side. Continuously stir sausage with a wooden spoon until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 5 more minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.

3. Add chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to low and gently fold in cannelloni beans. Serve immediately with parmesan.