Savor the Citrus

Our upcoming Daylight Savings holiday (only nine days away!) has instilled a sense of anxious excitement for the arrival of extended sunshine and outdoor splendor. I'm anticipating balcony sunsets with wine in hand, outdoor dinners in the side courtyard, and post-work walks along the River Bluff.

Until Spring officially arrives, though, I'm savoring winter citrus for breakfast bruléed, for dinner on salad, and for dessert on gelato. This low-maintenance salad boasts an obviously gorgeous presentation, but it tastes like heaven. The acidic pops of blood orange and creamy avocado are an undeniable combination.

Makes 4 servings

1 bag arugula 1 avocado, quartered and sliced 2 blood oranges, segmented 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 handful crumbled goat cheese 1/4 cup of my favorite salad dressing

1. In a large bowl, carefully toss arugula with avocado, oranges, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Serve with dressing on the side.

Late Summer Caprese

Labor day has passed, and I am still in denial. After all, the high today is 94 and sunny. Why wouldn't a late summer salad suffice? In honor of a short work week with too many items to check off the list, I'll make your grocery shopping extra concise. Three ingredients produce a vivid, colorful spread to prelude your family cookout or romantic Italian date night. This caprese is beautifully versatile and incredibly refreshing. Enjoy.

Makes 6 servings

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved 6 oz. mozzarella, sliced 1 bunch basil, torn

1. Arrange a large platter with mozzarella wedges. Sprinkle with tomatoes and basil. Serve alongside olive oil and balsamic reduction.

Oyster Mushroom Arugula Salad with Parmesan

It's tough to remit gratitude through a material gift. I've struggled, especially when attempting to thank others for their time. I now have learned that despite the excitement of opening a box, a thoughtful homemade meal is the ultimate token of appreciation. I served dinner to my parents last night in my new home. Through farmers market ingredients and diligent preparation, I thanked Mom and Dad for their incredible help with the house move and its hectic details. Caribbean sea bass and spiraled squash with a homemade tomato sauce took the main stage. To begin, I prepared this beautiful arugula salad with oyster mushrooms from Dickey Farms. The meaty, woodsy flavor accentuated peppery arugula leaves and sharp parmesan shavings. I think you'll love this one. Use the recipe to thank someone special this week.

Makes 4 servings

4 cups arugula 1 box oyster mushrooms 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon salt Ground black pepper Shaved parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss mushrooms in 2 tablespoons olive on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

3. Bake mushrooms until golden, approximately 12 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, whisk remaining olive oil with vinegar, honey, and salt. Divide arugula among four plates. Top with mushrooms and garnish with parmesan and black pepper.

Six Ingredients, Four Plates

This past week, I took on a self-created culinary challenge to rethink how I purchase groceries and utilize them creatively. It began Monday evening when I forced myself to Fresh Market in five o'clock traffic to fill my empty fridge after a weekend in California. Instead of wasting time in every aisle, I entered the store without a list. I picked out the very best of the seasonal produce, those of which seemed colorful, healthy and multi-functional. It turned an errand into somewhat of entertainment? I checked out with the following ingredients, all of which were under $25 (score!). Then, the fun began. Grocery items: Part-skim ricotta Arugula Avocado Half dozen brown eggs Black mission figs Haricot verts Gulf shrimp

The allocation of these fine ingredients over the course of a week may seem difficult to most, primarily because I was only cooking for one. However, it was intriguing to craft recipes on-the-spot with an empty canvas. Arugula, for example, could served as a bed for grilled shrimp, a base for a vegetarian Nicoise, or the binding element of soft scrambled eggs. Dollops of ricotta and slices of avocado added a rich note of satisfaction that, in actuality, was light and rather healthy.

Scroll through this week's meals, which I hope will serve as inspiration for your weekly grocery trips. Zero percent waste and 100 percent beauty.

MONDAY DINNER ::

TUESDAY LUNCH ::

WEDNESDAY LUNCH ::

THURSDAY BREAKFAST ::

Grilled Peaches with Honey and Mint

My weekly trip to the Memphis Farmers Market has reached a new level -- the peach farmer (first booth on your right from the main entrance) recognizes my routine visit. I hate to waste an entire basket of ripe peaches, so he lets me take 2 for a dollar, or 4 for $2. It's a super sweet gesture for my favorite fruit of the season.

Grilled fruit is a go-to side dish or salad base for my summer meals, particularly because the natural caramelization is so irresistible! I add a few drops of Nature Nate's before throwing them on the heat; and 5 minutes later, they're ready to go.

For a richer application, my friend Justin Fox Burks of the Chubby Vegetarian throws his grilled peaches in a dutch baby with fresh, creamy burrata cheese. The heavenly fruit and cheese combination could serve as a light salad or more savory dessert option.

Enjoy the rest of your summery weekend!

Makes 2 servings

2 peaches, pitted and quartered 2 sprigs fresh mint 1 tablespoon Nature Nate's honey 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1. Spray nonstick spray on a grill (or grill pan) over medium heat. Brush peach slices with honey.

2. Place peaches, skin side up, on grill. Allow fruit to caramelize for 4-5 minutes until grill marks appear.

3. Immediately plate peaches. Top with torn pieces of mint, sprinkled sea salt, and a bit of extra honey if you're in need of some more sweetness.

Share your own Nature Nate’s honey creations on social media with @naturenates and #honeymakesitbetter!

This post is in partnership with Nature Nate's. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

Summer Green Pea Medley

Y'all, I just discovered a new love affair with Sprouts Farmers Market, which just opened in a suburb of Memphis. The produce is particularly gorgeous and colorful, especially this time of year. Above all else, it's affordable. I gathered fruits and vegetables of all shapes and sizes to accompany my fish and chicken this week. Somehow, Sprouts has pushed me to be excited for a healthy week of eating ahead! Here is a super, super simple green side that'll be ready to plate in under five minutes. It's protein-fiber-filled and carb-free. I'm addicted to the nutty, crunchy textures of the medley.

Despite it s ridiculous simplicity, I hope you'll look to this recipe for inspiration with summer produce. As I always like to say, it's about highlighting the ingredient -- no sauce necessary!

Makes 2 servings

2 handfuls French green beans, washed and trimmed 8 pods fava beans, shelled 1/4 cup edamame, shelled 1/4 cup green peas Truffle or olive oil, to drizzle Sea salt and pepper

1. Bring one medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath beside the stove.

2. Add beans and peas to water and blanch for 1-2 minutes until vegetables are bright green. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and add to ice bath to freeze further cooking.

3. Remove vegetables from ice bath and plate. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Serve alongside...anything! I enjoyed mine with white cod and Rainier cherries.