Welcome July!
Summer Inspiration from Flour Craft Bakery & The GoodLife Shop
Summer is in full swing here in the San Francisco Bay Area which generally means cool, foggy mornings, followed by warm, sunny days, and lovely evenings perfect for gathering with friends on the deck or patio. While everyone seems to be off on a fabulous adventure in Europe or Tahoe, we have plenty of reasons to keep things local and to help you make the most of summer in all her glory, right here at home!
If you haven’t visited my new home goods store, The GoodLife Shop, in the Mill Valley Lumber Yard yet, please stop by! We have a carefully curated assortment of treasures for the kitchen, table, and all your summer entertaining needs.
Sharing some of my favorite ways to enjoy the season below with suggestions for recipes, picnics, and celebrations.
Happy July!
xo-Heather
~ Pinics at The GoodLife Shop! This summer, we are offering curated picnic basket rentals for all your wine country, beach, and outdoor concert adventures. Each rental includes a cozy blanket and all the thoughtful touches. Just pick up, picnic, and return- we’ll handle the rest! All food & beverages are provided by Flour Craft. Book online here!
~ Summer Cooking- Summer should be all about easy meals, featuring fresh produce and less actual cooking….so you have more time to enjoy with family & friends! Too hot for the oven? Enter gazpacho… a completely no-cook dinner that is healthy, flavorful, and actually better when made the day ahead. This is my favorite version of the classic….and I’m sharing the recipe with you, below.
It is also included in the Flour Craft Bakery Cookbook, along with 75+ recipes for all your healthy cooking & baking inspo.
~ Celebrating a Birthday? What better time of year for a party than summer?! Pool parties, outdoor dinner parties under twinkly lights, and BBQ’s all need dessert. Whether it’s a brownie sundae or a custom layer cake, Flour Craft has all your birthday needs covered. Order your custom cake online here !
Or select from our plentiful gf pastry assortment, shipped nationwide.
Chilled Yellow Tomato Gazpacho
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole, raw almonds, soaked overnight
3 large yellow tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 English cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small red chili (I like Thai hots but use what you can find. A Fresno chili, dried red chili flakes, or a dash of hot sauce all work great.)
1 cup basil leaves, tough stems removed, tender stems can remain
1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or fresh
2 TB vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar)
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup low-fat buttermilk (or water if dairy-free)
Method:
Day 1- In a small bowl, place the almonds with enough water to cover. Cover tightly and let them sit at room temperature overnight.
Day 2- Drain the water from the almonds and add them to a large bowl with all of the remaining ingredients, except the buttermilk. Toss everything together like a salad. Add it all to the jar of a blender, in batches if needed, adding buttermilk as you go to help puree the mixture. Place the finished soup in a large bowl or storage container and season with salt and pepper to taste and thin with buttermilk as needed. Serve well chilled.. This soup gets better overnight so make it a day ahead, if possible.
Notes:
a) The soup will thicken overnight as the pureed almonds continue to absorb liquid. You may want to thin with more buttermilk (or water) on the second day before serving.
b) Why yellow tomatoes? Of course, you can use any color of tomato for this gazpacho but I love yellow tomatoes as the color is more pleasing and they generally have less acid, creating a rounder, more balanced flavor.
c) Serve topped with croutons, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced basil, and a drizzle of olive oil for garnish.
~ Photos by
& @mecreativenapa