Great side dishes for your summer cookout

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QC Life) - Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, which means it’s time to fire up the grill for those summertime cookouts!

Yvette Kerns, the Petite Cook, is showing us how to make some delicious side dishes that will certainly elevate any summer cookout!

Summer Time Lemon Herb Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 box fettuccine pasta
• 1 bunch of Italian parsley
• 1 bunch cilantro
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of 3 lemons
• 1/4-1/2 cup EVOO or Avocado Oil
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
• Pink Himalayan salt taste
• Pepper to taste

Directions

• Cook fettuccine
• Finely chop parsley and cilantro
• Zest two lemons
• Juice three lemons
• Add to a large bowl and toss with EVOO and Parmesan cheese
• Top with additional herbs, lemon slices and a bit more Parmesan if desired
• Serve at room temperature or chilled

Four Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion finely diced
• 1 diced yellow pepper
• 1 can unsalted green beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can unsalted garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can unsalted black beans (rinsed and drained)

Dressing ingredients

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

• Whisk briskly until combined
• Drizzle the mixture over the beans, onion and pepper mixture. Toss until well coated
• Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving

Minted Watermelon

Ingredients

• 1 watermelon cut into cubed bite-size pieces
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup water

Instructions

• Place cubed watermelon pieces into a large bowl
• Wash and dry mint leaves. Set aside half of the mint whole and chop the other half of the mint
• Add the water and sugar to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, swirling with a whisk in the pan occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the whole mint leaves. Allow to cool completely
• Sprinkle the remaining chopped mint leaves into the bowl of watermelon. Drizzle the simple syrup mixture over watermelon and gently toss until coated (You will not have to use the entire batch of simple syrup)

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