the round up: june in review

june recipe round up! what I made, did, & loved most this month

Jul 02, 2025

Wow this month was a lot, I can’t believe it’s already over!! Day one of June started with finally being able to share the news about Don’t Think About Dinner with you all (which still doesn’t feel real tbh) and it was such an exciting way to kick off the month. From there it was full of testing brand new recipes, filming new YouTube videos for the summer, spending time with family as much as possible, lots of farmer’s market trips, and of course daily walks with the pups. I actually spent most of June at home, so I’m excited to say I’ll be doing some traveling in July that I’ll definitely share with you all. Brian and I are planning a little northeast road trip for mid-July that we’re really looking forward to, among other day trips and New England fun!

On the eat goood newsletter we had an exciting month too! Started off hot with a the cookbook announcement where I shared some BTS moments that I wasn’t expecting when it came to writing a cookbook and a couple of recipes right from the book. Our bonus recipe this month was Fish Taco Bowls—perfect for summer nights—and meal plans included alll of the summer recipes. Since the weather was not too hot and not too cold for about 3 days, we shared a round up of meals to enjoy outside and of course, pasta salad szn faves, plus no-bake strawberry cheesecake pretzel bars. All in I loved the food we ate this month (including from the June meal prep plan) and can’t wait for even more summer produce in July ☀️

Below I compiled all the things I’ve loved and recipes I’ve shared this month.

what I made this month

Fish Taco Bowls with Poblano Cilantro Slaw

This month’s Substack-exclusive recipe was a goood one. I was truly on such a bowl kick this month, and brought out all the stops for this one. Cooking with fish is my favorite in the summertime, the fresh fruity flavors work together so well. Full post has all the swaps you could need to make it work for you!

Strawberry Cheesecake Pretzel Bars

I had an idea for these bars back in early spring and I couldn’t wait for berry season to hit to make these! So decadent and refreshing—the ideal summer dessert if you ask me! Make ‘em for any summer parties coming up this weekend and friends will be shocked that they’re vegan. Watch the full tutorial.

Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad

To celebrate the start of farmer’s market szn of course! Pasta salad is a classic summer staple meal, this one puts a slightly elevated spin on that with some roasted veggies and delicious balsamic, but it’s still a breeze to put together. We also rounded up some favorite pasta salads so you can eat them all month long! Watch the full tutorial.

Steak, Avocado, and Corn Kale Salad with Jalapeño Lime Dressing

Claiming this as the salad of the summer!! I can’t get over this one and it’s been getting loads of love in our chat too. If you’re not someone who usually cooks up a steak, this is a great intro to it. We do a deep dive into the recipe with ingredient swaps, the cooking process, tips, and more in last Sunday’s newsletter.

Spicy Edamame Peanut Noodles

Our star of last week’s pasta salad summer round up and featured in the even better as leftovers meal plan! It had been far too long since I made a noodle recipe (this one and this one are some past favorites, give ‘em a try!).

Chipotle Mango Steak Tacos

Clearly I was very into steak this month. The mango/steak combo is a savory/sweet moment you don’t want to miss out on. These tacos are part of my Partially Prepped series where you do a little bit of prep ahead of cooking your meal to make dinnertime a breeze, or you can prep them all at once—do what works for you!

June Meal Prep Plan

This month’s meal prep plan included a few standout favorites, like Cheddar and Chive Breakfast Biscuits, Matcha Latte Overnight Oats, and Summer Elote Quinoa Salad. You can still access that plan here and follow it anytime!

✨ Search for other recipes here.

what I did & loved this month

$45 Summer BBQ Party — This was probably my favorite of the month!! I took a $45 grocery budget and turned it into a delicious BBQ party spread, proving you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make something special! This post ran through everything you need to get it done. I can’t wait to do more of these this year, plus who doesn’t love a budget party that doesn’t feel like a budget party!?
Sustainable Kitchen Products — Sustainable products not only help save money over time, but they’re something that I personally find gets me excited to be in my kitchen! These beeswax wraps will replace your plastic wrap rolls and bring a little smile to your face when you open up the fridge, the patterns are so cute. I have been using these cloth produce bags for years now to save on plastic produce bags. I also got a huge reusable shopping bag that doubled as my delivery method for a second freezer prep for my sister (ICYMI I’m a new auntie 🥹).
Beach day prep — I’ve been saying it since early May, but I’m determined to actually slow down this summer. To inspire, I’ve been searching for some quality items to add to my beach bag. I’m obsessed with this one piece from Abercrombie, this perfect casual cover up that totally doubles as a regular shirt, this super cute and comfy active dress, and of course all the sunscreen.

🚨Reminder: If you made any of this month’s recipes, leave a rating and review on the site & you’ll be entered to get a free month of the paid newsletter! All you have to do is leave your rating & review, then comment on this post letting me know you reviewed—it can be any recipe on the site! Every month we choose 3 winners!