Your Summer Recipe Guide to Cooking with Purpose

Fresh Summer Recipes Made with Fair Trade Certified™ Ingredients

Welcome to your go-to summer recipe guide—where fresh, seasonal flavors meet Fair Trade values.

Celebrate the season with recipes that not only taste good but do good. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, packing a picnic, or cooling off with a homemade treat, these easy summer recipes are designed to help you cook with purpose.

Discover refreshing cocktails, easy warm-weather meals, and simple snacks—all made with Fair Trade Certified products that support the farmers and workers who make it all possible. Every bite is a chance to support safer working conditions, better wages, and sustainable practices around the world.

So grab your favorite summer staples and let the cooking begin. This summer, let’s make every dish delicious and impactful—with recipes that nourish both planet and people.

Chicken and Rice Bowl Recipe

From NatureSweet® Tomatoes

Link to original recipe

Directions

1. On a chopping board, slice NatureSweet® Mini Cucumbers and cut Cherubs® in half.
2. In a pot, add rice and water and bring to a boil. Add salt, lower heat, and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes or until there is almost no liquid. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette: In a bowl, combine vinegar, lime juice, grated ginger, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour in olive oil little by little in an even stream until an emulsion is obtained, add cilantro and set aside.
4. In a bowl, combine rice, black beans, chickpeas, NatureSweet® Mini Cucumbers, Cherubs®, grilled chicken, Kalamata olives, cilantro, and aged cheese.
5. Serve salad in a regular bowl or a semi-shallow bowl and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Honey & Dark Brown Sugar Baked Beans Recipe

From Wholesome Sweeteners®

Link to original recipe

Directions

1. Rinse beans, put them in a pot of water, bring them to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Let beans cool in the water for 1 hour.
3. While beans are cooling, lightly brown the bacon and then add onion and, cook for about 15-20 minutes, until both are a deep golden brown.
4. Add bacon mixture into a slow cooker.
5. Add a little water to the bacon pan and scrape any bits that stuck to the bottom of the pan. Place bacon bits in the slow cooker.
6. Pour beans and remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Mix well.
7. Cook on high for 6-8 hours, until beans are creamy (stirring and adding water if needed every 2 hours). 
    

Fresh Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe

From Death Wish Coffee

Link to original recipe

Directions

Servings: 12 to 16
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

1. Make streusel topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Using your fingers or a fork, mix until no lumps of brown sugar remain. Rub in the butter until it reaches a crumbly state. Refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch square pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed to combine. Gently fold berries into the batter with a spatula until evenly distributed—do not overmix.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown around the edges and a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes. Then serve right from the pan.
7. This cake is best served on the day it is made. Leftovers will keep well for a few days wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature.

Cold Brew Martini Recipe

From BLK & BOLD

Link to original recipe

Directions

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add all ingredients.
2. Shake it until it’s chilled and frothy.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
4. Top with coffee beans for a classic finish.
5. Sip and enjoy responsibly.

Chocolate Banana Pops Recipe

From UNREAL

Link to original recipe

Directions

1. Slice the bottom half of bananas off with peels on
2. Stick popsicles in the end of each then peel off skin and add to a lined baking sheet
3. Dip each banana into peanut butter then add into freezer to set for at least 30 minutes or so
4. Dip each banana into chocolate then sprinkle crushed UNREAL peanut gems on top and add back to freezer until ready to eat!

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