Stuffed Summer Squash Flowers with Tomato Olive Salad

Ever wanted to try making stuffed squash flowers, but thought it was too complicated? So did we, until we tried making them and found the process to be quite simple.  So grab some squash flowers and follow the (vegan!) recipe below, along with an easy tomato and olive salad recipe, for a fresh, summer treat straight from your garden.

Stuffed Summer Squash Flowers

Recipe by Selma Melngailis
Makes 20 squash flowers

Ingredients:

4 cups cashews, soaked 2 hours or more
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 cup mellow white miso
1/4 cup raw sesame tahini
1/4 cup filtered water, plus more as needed
1/3 cup minced chives
20 squash flowers
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Cashew Filling Steps:

1. Blend all the ingredients except the chives in a high-speed blender until smooth.
2. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, until the cheese is thick and smooth but not runny.
3. Season with additional salt if needed
4. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the minced chives.

Squash Flower Steps:

1. Using a small spoon or knife, stuff flowers with cashew filling.
2. Refrigerate any excess filling to preserve
3. Put olive oil in a cold sauce pan and heat on medium
4. Place flowers in pan and fry on each side until golden brown.
5. Serve warm, along with tomato sauce for dipping if desired.

Tomato Olive Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pint sliced grape tomatoes
1 pint sliced olives, green or black (suggested: 1/2 container green olives from the prepared foods section at Whole Foods)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon
handful large basil leaves (suggested: roughly 10 leaves, or to preferred taste)
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Steps:

1. Toss tomato and olive slice together in a large bowl
2. Slice basil in thin strips and add to bowl
(Note: if using olive mix from Whole Foods, skip steps 3 and 4)
3. Slice lemon in small, thin wedges and add to bowl
4. Add olive oil
5. Add salt and pepper
6. Stir all ingredients and taste
7. Add more lemon, oil, or seasoning as desired
8. Serve cold