I can’t believe it is almost July!!! Halfway through the year. This is one of my absolute favorite times because the days feel so much longer. The sun is shining right when I wake up. It is so beautiful and sunny outside. When the sun comes out, I feel like a whole new person.
While cherry picking it got me so excited for all of the fun summer activities, and for some reason a vivid memory of summer bucket lists popped up. I would spend so much time with my friends when I was younger writing out these elaborate bucket lists in all different colors with pictures…. nostalgia. Why did we stop doing that???
The other day I asked you guys to send me what’s on your summer bucket list so I compiled everything together so that we can have one all together :) Let’s all check some of these off together!!
SUMMER 2024 BUCKET LIST
Watch a Sunrise
Bake a Pie
Picnic on the Beach
Have a Beach Bonfire
Play Pickleball
Watch Fireworks
Go Lake Jumping
Play Tennis
Go Boating
Explore a new Farmers Market
Go Mountain Biking or on a Bike Ride
Do a Day Trip to a Nearby Town
Go Swimming at Dusk or Dawn
Visit a Farm or Orchard
Go Stargazing
Make a Scrap Book
Host a Cookbook Club
Go Paddle-boarding
Have a Painting/Creative Day (no technology!)
Explore a New Restaurant
Make Homemade Pasta & Sauce
Go Hiking
Have a Game Night with Friends
Do a Potluck
Read a Book
Go to a Drive-in Movie
Have a Summer BBQ
This just got me so excited for the month. We need to take advantage of these long days! Let’s dooooo itttt!
New month also means new seasonal produce!!! The colors of July:
I recommend going to your local farmers market with this list, seeing what looks good and getting whatever calls your name. Talk to the farmers, ask about their farms and growing methods, connect with them, maybe even ask if you can every visit the farm (a check off the bucket list!). Supporting our local farmers is so key. Also… always tastes a milllllion times better. Also a few recipes you should make:
6 Seasonal Recipes
Salted Watermelon Hydration Elixir
Instantly thirst quenching.
Ingredients
1 full baby watermelon
1 tsp mineral salt
1 tbsp raw honey
2 cups water
Recipe
1. Chop watermelon and blend the inside fruit
2. Strain through a cheese cloth or mesh strainer to separate pulp
3. Blend juice together with salt, honey and water
4. Serve over ice with a slice of watermelon!
Hydrating Melon Dip
Hydrating. Salty. Sweet. Zesty. Fresh & Delish.
Ingredients
1/2 watermelon
1/4 cantaloupe
1/2 jicama
1/2 large cucumber
1 tsp salt + zest of 1/2 large lemon
1 lime juice
Pink peppercorns
Recipe
Finely chop watermelon, cantaloupe, jicama and cucumber
Mix together salt and lemon zest and top with that
Add juiced lime + peppercorns
Serve with chips :)
Heirloom Tomato, Peach, Nectarine Goat Cheese Minty Perfection Seasonal Summer Salad
Idk. I can’t think of a name rn. But she’s perfect. All the flavors of summer. Heirloom tomatoes have my heart.
Ingredients
2 colorful heirloom tomatos
1/2 peach
1/2 nectarine
10 mint leaves
Handful pistachios
Goat cheese (measure with heart)
Lil bit of lemon zest + juice
Olive Oil
Salt + Pink Peppercorns
Recipe
Cut up heirloom tomatoes into small slices and then cut
Chop up peach and nectarine
Finely chop mint leaves
Lightly chop pistachios
Add everything to a bowl with lemon zest, juice, olive oil, salt and peppercorns
Melon Summer Chop
The perfect balance of salty, creamy, zesty & sweet.
Ingredients
1/2 cantaloupe (only use 3/4 of that)
1/2 large cucumber
2 radishes
1/4 cup pickled onions
10 mint leaves
1/2 block feta
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt, pepper, chili flakes (measure with <3)
1/4 lemon squeeze
Recipe
de seed 1/2 cantaloupe, cut off skin and chop
shave cucumber skin and chop
chop radishes, pickled onions, mint and feta
add everything to a bowl and dress!
serve and enjoy
Mango Salsa
I love serving this with salmon and coconut rice, so fresh and delicious. Also so good just as a dip for chips.
Ingredients
1 mango
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 tbsp chopped serrano or jalapeño
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp grated ginger
1 lime juice
salt
Recipe
Chop up mango, red onion, serrano and cilantro and add to a bowl
Cover with lime juice and salt, mix
Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until ready to eat
Heirloom Tomato Toast
There is really no recipe for this…all you need is sourdough bread, salt and tomatoes. You can add whatever else in between - butter, cream cheese, lox, garlic rub, herbs & spices, cottage cheese….or plain. Just burst out those heirlooms because they are SO GOOD.
I AM HUNGRY NOW. Going to go eat and lay in the sun - because that is what Sunday is all about. Hope you have the best day ever, and if you make anything or end up doing any bucket list items, send in the chat!!! XO - Ella
Great summer ideas, all of them
Got me excited for summer too! 🍑🍉