Summer gatherings are the perfect opportunity to enjoy the warm weather, sunshine, and good company. To delight your guests, you’ll need recipes that are perfect for the occasion.
Look no further than Grapes from California, a versatile and signature ingredient that can enhance a variety of dishes, from refreshing salads and entrees to flavorful condiments and sweet desserts. With their crisp, juicy, and sweet nature, grapes add a burst of flavor and texture to a wide range of recipes. Whether you prefer them fresh, sautéed, roasted, grilled, or pickled, grapes are sure to take your meals to the next level.
Kick off your festivities with grapes as an easy, portable, and healthy snack that’s ideal for sunny summer days. Alternatively, incorporate them into a vibrant and refreshing Honey-Lime Quinoa and Grape Salad, which can serve as a light appetizer or a satisfying meal on its own. For a delightful twist on a summertime staple, try the Sweet and Tangy Pickled Grape Hot Dogs. This unique relish will elevate your hot dogs with its sweet-tart flavor.
And what’s a summer gathering without a delicious dessert? Indulge in the Creamy Vegan Grape Ice Cream, a dairy-free alternative that is both easy to make and satisfyingly sweet. With oat coffee creamer and pureed grapes, you can create a frozen treat that will cool you down and leave you wanting more. Additionally, freezing whole grapes offers a simple and healthy option for a frozen dessert.
For more inspiration on how to elevate your summer gatherings, visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com.
Honey-Lime Quinoa and Grape Salad: Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus at least 1 hour chilling time Cooking time: 22 minutes Servings: 6 (1 1/3 cups per serving)
Lime Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Salad:
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups halved Grapes from California
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
- 1 large firm, ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
To make the lime vinaigrette:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste.
To make the salad:
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and drain well.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Pour the lime vinaigrette over the quinoa and stir well to coat.
- Add the halved grapes, minced red onion, chopped cilantro, and minced jalapeno pepper. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Lightly stir in the avocado and transfer to a decorative bowl. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.
Note: The salad can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead without the avocado and peanuts. Add them just before serving.
Nutritional information per serving: 520 calories; 10 g protein; 52 g carbohydrates; 32 g fat (55% calories from fat); 4 1/2 g saturated fat (8% calories from saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 490 mg sodium; 7 g fiber.
Sweet and Tangy Pickled Grape Dogs: Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time Cooking time: 5 minutes Servings: 8 (1/4 cup relish per serving)
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cups quartered or coarsely chopped Grapes from California (red, green, black, or a combination)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 8 turkey or chicken hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns, lightly toasted
- Place the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns in a small resealable bag. Crush the seeds and peppercorns using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- In a small saucepan, stir together the wine vinegar, brown sugar, crushed seeds, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
- Stir in the quartered or coarsely chopped Grapes from California and thinly sliced red onion. Set aside to cool and marinate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Heat the grill to medium heat.
- Grill the hot dogs for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred and heated through.
- Place the grilled hot dogs in the buns and top with the pickled grape relish using a slotted spoon.
Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 10 g protein; 39 g carbohydrates; 10 g fat (32% calories from fat); 2 g saturated fat (6% calories from saturated fat); 35 mg cholesterol; 630 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.
Creamy Vegan Grape Ice Cream: Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10-15 minutes Servings: 8 (1/2 cup per serving)
- 1 pound stemmed black Grapes from California
- 12 ounces vanilla oat coffee creamer, well chilled
- 12 ounces unsweetened oat coffee creamer, well chilled
- In a high-speed blender, puree the stemmed black Grapes from California until smooth.
- Transfer the pureed grapes to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to 1 cup. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
- Stir the well-chilled vanilla oat coffee creamer and unsweetened oat coffee creamer into the pureed grapes. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze until firm.
Note: For a lighter color, you can use 3/4 pound black grapes and 1/4 pound red grapes.
Make sure the bowl of the ice cream maker is well chilled or frozen before making the ice cream.
Nutritional information per serving: 140 calories; 0 g protein; 22 g carbohydrates; 6 g fat (39% calories from fat); 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.
Indulge in these delightful grape recipes to take your summer gatherings to the next level. For more inspiration, visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com.
