My Favorite Four: Memorial Day Weekend Recipes

Memorial Day weekend is here! First and foremost, we'd like to pay our respects and remember those who gave their life fighting valiantly for our freedom. We will never forget and always celebrate their sacrifice.

The last weekend of May means a few things; summer is so close I got a sunburn just thinking about it, you're NOT working for at least three days (hopefully) and you will, if you haven't yet, get invited to a cookout. Or you might be the one hosting a cookout. In whichever case, food is a major component and I'm here to share my favorite, healthy(ish) recipes with you. These recipes have wholesome ingredients, take no time to make and are delicious.

If you make any of it, tag us (@lawless_design) on IG. We love to know you're tuning in and trying our recommendations.

BTW: we're going to have so many recs coming your way all summer long from skincare to traveling but okay okay, RECIPES BELOW!

Greek Pasta Salad

What you'll need:

• 1 box of small pasta shells

• 2 cucumbers finely chopped

• 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (from a jar)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup chopped mint (I've done with and without, still tastes great)

• 3 oz feta (cut into small cubes or crumble with your hands)

Yogurt Dressing:

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 2 tbsp fresh dill

• 2 tbsp apple cide vinegar

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

How to make:

• Cook the pasta per the instructions on the box. Let it cool. When pasta is ready, add to a lard bowl along with the remaining pasta salad ingredients.

• In a small bowl, mix together dressing ingredients until smooth. Toss the pasta salad in the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

• Refrigerate until ready to eat

This pasta salad is packed with flavor and so easy to make. You can modify it however you'd like to based on your taste and crowd. A little goes a long way and it can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Avocado, Corn & Black Bean Salsa

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes quartered

• 1/4 cup red onion minced

• 1 red bell pepper diced

• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped

• 1/2 cup frozen corn thawed

• 1/2 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed

• 1/2 tsp jalapeno minced

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 whole avocado diced

How to make:

• Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl except for the avocado. Toss to combine

• Don't add the avocado until you're ready to serve. Otherwise, it will turn brown quickly, get a little mushy and will look unappetizing.

This dish is super versatile; eat it with chips as a starter, as a side with BBQ or just on it's own. The flavors marry perfectly and it's totally customizable to your taste. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days without the avocado added.

In my book, it's absolutely not a complete meal without something sweet to pick at. Here's two different recipes for you that are low maintenance and refreshing.

Frozen Yogurt Bark

What you'll need:

• 2 cups of Yogurt (You can do plain Greek or flavored)

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup honey (if desired) but recommended

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• Strawberries diced

• Blueberries

• Nuts of choice or granola

How to make:

• Combine yogurt with honey, vanilla and salt in a bowl and mix until incorporated.

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread yogurt mix. If you want a thicker bark, do not spread it very thin.

• Add toppings to bark, sprinkling evenly over the top

• Set in freezer for at least 3 hours

• Cut or break up bark and place in freezer safe dish

Even though this recipe is giving "mom who wants to trick kids with fake ice-cream" vibes, you won't regret it. The yogurt is creamy and you'll get the freshness from the fruit plus the texture of the nuts/granola. It's a sweet bite that won't make you feel lethargic and guilty after.

Grilled Peach with Ice-cream

What you'll need:

• 3 large peach halved and pitted (or however many you need for your people)

• 2 tbsp butter melted

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon or to taste

• Vanilla ice-cream for serving (optional but highly recommended)

How to make:

• Preheat grill to medium-high

• Brush cut side of peaches with butter and sprinkle with brow sugar. Rub the brown sugar into the butter so it sticks. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

• Place peaches cut up and grill 3 minutes. Flip over and grill and cook 3-5 minutes or until browned and tender.

• Serve warm with ice cream.

I love this so much, I make it year round because you don't HAVE to use the grill. You can use the oven or the air fryer and it comes out just as good. It's a simple dessert that looks really sophisticated plated and tastes even more so. If you're hosting, you can make this to order. If someone else is hosting, you can just take a couple of the ingredients and build there.

If you're stuck on what to make or just want to try something new, I hope this post was helpful. The most important part is that you love the food you eat and feed your body with wholesome ingredients (some people will argue on the ice-cream but let us live). Happy MDW from Lawless Design!