By Abby Wilbanks 

IT’S SUMMER! Allow me to help you level up your social media feed with some delicious and aesthetically pleasing recipes. These three dishes not only taste great but are photo-worthy and sure to engage your audience. We are talking colorful, nourishing, and audience-pleasing meals! 

Pretty Avocado Toast: Perfect for breakfast at home, or to bring to an event to wow your guests. This recipe is simple, delicious, incorporates some fresh summer flavors, and most importantly for social media purposes - it’s pretty! 

What you’ll need:

• Bread

• Blueberry Goat Cheese 

• Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

• Raspberries 

• Avocado 

How to Make It: Start by getting your bread nice and toasty. Then, scoop out your avocado into a bowl and mash it with a fork. Season the mashed avocado with salt and pepper. Add the avocado spread to your toast (I like mine a little chunky - this is all up to preference). After that, crumble some of your blueberry goat cheese onto the toast. Add some of the washed raspberries to the toast around the cheese. Finish the dish by adding a delicate feathering of balsamic. Center on a nice plate for yourself or arrange on an attractive  platter or board for a crowd. Snap a pic and enjoy! 

Tuscan Salmon with Lemon: A delicious dinner perfect for a weeknight or to impress your guests! It’s creamy but not heavy, citrusy but not sour, and overall so satisfying! Plus it photographs well, of course! 

What you’ll need:

• Salmon Filets 

• Cherry Tomatoes

• Fresh Spinach 

• Garlic 

• Heavy Cream (or half and half for a lighter option)

• Lemons

• Parmesan

• Olive oil

How to Make It: Start by seasoning your salmon however you like. I like to use lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 TB olive oil over medium heat and place your salmon filets in, skin side down. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, then flip and do the same for the other side. Transfer the salmon to a plate. Now, add more olive oil if necessary and add your garlic and cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and the cherry tomatoes begin to soften. Then you will want to add the spinach and stir until it is wilted. Once it wilts, add in your cream and some juice from your lemons before sprinkling in some parmesan. Combine everything nicely in the skillet and let it come together before nestling in your salmon. Garnish with lemon slices and ta-da! You just made a delicious dinner in under 30 minutes. Pair with some rice, pasta, broccoli, salad - whatever you want - and enjoy! 

Summer Roll Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing: This one is everything you love about the classic Vietnamese summer rolls, deconstructed into a satiating and fresh salad! This dish has a lot of color and is undoubtedly going to draw attention when you post to your socials. 

What you’ll need: 

• Shrimp, peeled and deveined 

• Rice Vermicelli Noodles

• Cucumber

• Fresh Mint 

• Avocado

• Red Cabbage 

• Peanuts

• Soy Sauce 

• Rice Wine Vinegar 

• Peanut Butter

• Lime Juice

• Honey

• Crushed Garlic 

How to Make It: Start by seasoning your shrimp however you like and sauteeing them in a pan until they are cooked through. Remove from heat. Then, cook your vermicelli noodles according to the package directions and then set them aside as well. In a nice bowl you will want to layer your noodles and add your toppings. Place the avocado, cabbage, cucumber, fresh mint and shrimp atop the noodles. For your dressing, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, lime juice, honey, and crushed garlic in a bowl and whisk together. Add water as needed to thin the dressing. When it’s done, pour it on top of your bowl and garnish with peanuts. Dig in and thank me later!

I hope you have fun trying these creative, colorful meals. It is so rewarding to spend that extra time in the kitchen to create a meal for yourself or others that's beautiful and delicious! Just remember - the phone eats first! Your audience will thank you for it. I have found that cooking is a great way to create a more personal and approachable experience on social media. Enjoy!