What a bright and delightful part of the meal this dish was! I’m looking back on this meal fondly because right now with my husband away on a 2 week bicycle trip I’m doing a lot less eating and hardly any cooking. The other night I ate a bag of Cheetos and drank a Coca-Cola and called it dinner. I had the bright orange fingers to prove it. The next night, I ate a pathetic salad made up of weird waxy lettuce from our CSA, fresh corn, red onion, fresh dill, cottage cheese and dressed with balsamic vinegar. It was a strange salad and something I would have probably never made if there were two of us in the house. My solo eating habits are downright wonky. I can blame the heat-wave that Vancouver is currently in the midst of, but I can also blame lack of interest. Part of the fun of cooking, at least for me, is cooking for someone else. I want to share the joy of my meal with someone by my side and Chuck Bass* just doesn’t cut the mustard. But I’m out riding my bike more, going out for long walks and meeting up with friends. Not a bad trade-off, I guess!
But I made this dish as part of a meal when Cornelius was still very much in town. Previously, I had made a great side dish involving zucchini, almonds and parmesan cheese and I wanted to replicate it with the abundance of fresh peas and summer squash that I had going on in the fridge. I shelled a gazillion peas, chopped up the squash and got cooking. This side dish was ready quickly and was not only pretty on the eyes but super tasty to boot. I was really surprised at how delicious the almonds, peas and squash worked together. The lemon added a spark and the garlic created a nice mellow depth. Originally, I had loved how the Parmesan cheese helped to add flavour, but in the midst of getting the rest of our dinner together, I completely forgot to add it here. No matter, because this dish was still very delicious without the cheese. But if you want to add some in, go right ahead, it will be lovely.
Elsewhere: Check out my most recent ReadyMade post about Panzanella Salad. It was one of the best salads I’ve made. Bread, fresh summer tomatoes and I even squeezed in a little summer squash! Delicious. Over at Poppytalk, I posted about some blackberry-lime popsicles just in time for whatever heatwave your currently suffering from. And last week I wrote about a delicious meal I made from fried chickpeas with broccoli & fresh peas.
* Yes, my solo dinner companion is watching Gossip Girl on tv.
quick summer squash & pea saute
1/3 c raw almonds, roughly chopped
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 crook neck summer squash, sliced
1 patty pan squash, sliced
1 lb fresh peas, shelled
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese (optional)Heat a large pan and add in the almonds and dry-toast them over medium heat until they start to get slightly dark and fragrant. Toss often. Pour in the olive oil and garlic and saute until the garlic gets soft, about 2 minutes.
Add in the squash and toss about for 2 minutes before adding in the peas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the lemon juice. When the peas get warm (another 2 minutes), remove from heat. If you choose, sprinkle some parmesan over top before serving.
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So funny, I just wrote on my blog about eating a pb&j sandwich for dinner because I had the evening alone. My boyfriend works two nights during the week and I always take the opportunity to eat something he hates or would make fun of me for eating as dinner. 🙂
Thanks to my husband’s weekly hockey game I get Saturday nights to myself. I usually make something with tons of lemon zest, raw onions, and garlic–just the way *I* like it.
This looks so beautiful–wish I wasn’t allergic to peas!
As they say in French “Miam. Miam.” (Yum!)
Thought I’d let you know that Baked has a new cookbook coming out, and the trailer is tantalizing!! I think you’ll be excited. http://fb.me/FZ7noKde
This looks like such a unique and awesome salad! I love peas 🙂
Isn’t summer squash the best? I consume quite a bit of it in, well, summer. I’ll surely have to try this recipe sometime while the weather is still warm and the gourds are still available.
I haven’t had a night to eat alone in a while — but I can relate to the strangeness of it. That said, I love it when I can come up with something that’s creative enough to share & make again when I’m eating for one.
Can’t beat those fresh summer peas. I’m going to be longing for this dish in the midst of February.
My boyfriend always insists on having protein with each meal, so when he’s not around, I revel in my ability to eat something composed of only carbs and fat. It’s lovely. So I say, rock the Cheetos and the Gossip Girl!
These photos are great, by the way — the squash has such a nice brownness from the pan. Drool.
With all those fresh peas, I know I’d love this!
I have so much summer squash and zucchini right now, I’m so making this tonight!
I totally have weird eating habits when my husband’s ever not home. It’s like I just constantly snack, I never make an actual meal… I’d probably be a terrible cook if I wasn’t with him!
what a lovely and refreshing meal! i think i may have done the cheetos thing once or twice. 🙂
This veg medley sounds so tasty and fresh! I must get my hands on some fresh peas in the pod. The shape of paddy pan squash is adorable too! Haven’t had an opportunity to buy some yet. I always add garlic to my zucchini except when I’m making zucchini muffins 🙂
Well, I think you’ve beat the bowl of cereal I often eat when I eat alone!
You have the most delicious recipes! When my husband is out of town I usually make sure at least one dinner consists of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
this looks delicious! i love peas.
pity its winter where i am:(
I could see myself eating the whole bowl.
YUM! This looks beautiful (and delicious, too!). Thanks for sharing 🙂
Oh perfect solo dinner! Fresh and tasty! YUM!
So pretty! Can’t wait to try it out.
mmhmm. Nothing better then good summer squash 😉
Prob not your intention, but you’ve just given me an escape from tortuous unsatifying “alone eating.” I bookmarked the ReadyMade salad recipe – awesome – and now I have one more quick, easy, nights-when-my-husband-works and my son just wants mac n cheese meal idea.
I basically don’t cook when Randy is out of town and just eat the same thing over and over. This summer he has been out of town a lot and I have resorted to asking people over just so I have some motivation to cook. I feel like I totally missed out on English pea season this year and I’m totally bummed because they are one of my favorite vegetables and they look AMAZING here. I want this for dinner tonight!
Single girl eating habits can be…uh well…interesting. I love this saute though! All the best of the season.
ha! proof kate that we eat so differently when we’re not with our partners! i thought so 🙂
yay! that’s the way to do it, elizabeth. as for the dish, leave out the peas! no need for them, really. i’ve made it without and it’s excellent.
thanks say.la vie!
thanks for the heads up, martine!
sues, it’s a great warm side dish that works as a salad too.
bellcurves, i love it too. and i’ve got to since our csa is overrun with it!
lo, it’s been years for me and i had forgotten how my eating has adjusted to my husbands! funny that.
maddie, the cheetos and gossip girl are a rockin’! love your carbs & fat rule 🙂
ashley, it’s a good side dish! enjoy 🙂
jacqui, i think the same thing at times. it’s kind of a nice break from eating full meals all the time. but it’s funny because my husband couldn’t really care less about food yet i like to go all out when he’s around.
thanks g, glad i’m not alone!
bijoux, garlic is essential!
newlywed, oh, i’ve had a bowl of cereal or two! no worries there.
ha! i love that, nancyb! now, i’m totally craving a pint.
ursula, save this for summer. or adapt and use broccoli.
go right ahead, tracy!
thanks beth & sarena!
monika, when it’s so pretty to look at it’s so much easier to eat, i think.
thanks, alexa, i’ve totally come around to the summer squash! good thing too.
chrissy, that salad i posted on readymade is soooo awesome. i gladly ate it up!
dana, i’m glad that we’ve got similar styles. the peas were nice this summer, but you can skip the peas and just use squash instead.
joanne, indeed. thanks!
Thanks for a great dish! I have just sat down with it (unfortunately no crook neck summer squash in my version) and savoured a few forkfuls – delicious. Definitely a keeper.
Zoe, glad you enjoyed this dish. It’s a good simple one to have on hand.
Yum! Making this tonight! 🙂