Summer is wonderful for many reasons, but one of my favorites is the food. To keep our bodies fit throughout the summer, we should consume healthy summer food.
Embrace the Bounty of Summer with These Nutritious Recipes
Tomatoes, melons, cherries, peaches, and maize, on the other hand, are plentiful and ripe, making it pleasurable and straightforward to prepare nutritious summer cuisine. The weather has finally improved to the point where I can stand outdoors and grill everything instead of cooking inside in a tight kitchen.
Most healthy summer foods recipes are also fast and straightforward to prepare, which is excellent when you’re too busy outdoors enjoying the long, sunny days. On any given day, no one wants to be crouched over the stove for hours, particularly when all that cooking is squandering precious sunshine.
5 healthy summer foods recipes
Here we will discuss 5 healthy summer food recipes. Let’s see.
Recipe 01: Summer sweet corn salad
Serve this light and refreshing salad on its own or with your favorite protein. You may also skip the pasta and serve the meal over a bed of greens. With beautiful summer corn, the options are endless.
Ingredients:
- One fresh lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- Two cobs of sweet corn
- Eight oz. pasta shells
- 2/3 lb. zucchini
- 1-pint grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- One avocado.
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
Making process
- The lemon was juiced and zested. 2 mL of juice and 12 mL of zest are required. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, basil, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley in a dish or jar. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients, put the lid on the container, and shake briskly until combined. Set the vinaigrette aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add a healthy sprinkle of salt to the pasta water before adding the pasta. Continue to boil the pasta for 7 minutes, then drain in a sieve. Rinse the pasta briefly with cold water, then drain well.
- Prepare the remaining vegetables while the pasta cooks and drains. Remove the corn kernels from the cobs, half the grape tomatoes, chop the zucchini, slice the onion, and dice the avocado.
- After the pasta has been well-drained and left to cool, combine it with the prepared vegetables in a large mixing dish. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated—season with salt to taste before serving.
Recipe 02: Grilled Eggplant With Garlicky Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Few ingredients are needed to grill eggplant to perfection—crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside.
Ingredients:
- Either Graffiti or Fairy Tale, 2 pounds of different little eggplants.
- 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- Two heads of garlic
- One lemon halved
- tahini, Kosher salt
- Brad’s Spoon Sauce (for serving; optional)
- Sumac (for serving)
Making process:
- Preheat an indirect medium-high grill (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of the grill; leave one or two burners off). Grill the eggplant over indirect heat for 1–1 1/2 hours, or until completely soft (depending on size and type).
- Meanwhile, grill full garlic heads for 40–50 minutes over indirect heat or until cloves are tender and jammy.
- Combine yogurt and tahini in a small bowl; season with salt. Cut garlic heads in half crosswise and squeeze cloves into yogurt mixture; thoroughly combine.
- Cut a slit along the length of each eggplant and carefully pull it open with your hands. Place on a plate, sprinkle with lemon juice, and season with salt. Spread the yogurt sauce evenly and top with the sumac. I served it with a tablespoon of sauce (optional).
Recipe 03: Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
The sweet strawberries and creamy poppy seed dressing are the stars of this salad, but the avocado, candied almonds, and feta cheese all bring something unique to the table.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup sugar
- One bunch of romaine, torn (about 8 cups)
- Two cups of halved fresh strawberries.
- One small onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- One tablespoon of sour cream
- Two tablespoons sugar
- 2-1/4 teaspoons cider vinegar
- One tablespoon of 2% milk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons of poppy seeds.
Making process:
- Simmer and stir sugar in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until melted and caramel-colored. Stir until the almonds are uniformly coated. Spread out on foil to cool.
- Combine the romaine lettuce, red onion, and strawberries in a large mixing basin—Toss the salad with a dressing after whisking together the dressing ingredients. Candied almonds are sprinkled on top of a salad. Serve immediately.
Recipe 04: Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus With Zucchini Noodles
What says “summer” more than fresh veggies and delicious shrimp? Cook the shrimp on the grill if feasible to add a smokiness.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Five garlic cloves, minced
- One lb. asparagus, trimmed and chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Useless, or remove red pepper flakes if you like a milder dish.
- One lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Two medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
- 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Making process:
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook for two minutes, often tossing, with the asparagus, garlic, salt, red pepper, and black pepper. Add the shrimp and cook for approximately four minutes, stirring regularly. Combine with lemon juice. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside when pink and thoroughly cooked.
- Saute the zucchini noodles for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the shrimp and asparagus mixture to the pan. Stir briskly to combine, remove from heat and serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Recipe 05: Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Wrapping this grilled chicken in lettuce gives it a crisp, refreshing taste perfect for summer barbecues.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (13 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon each: cumin and turmeric powder
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- 12 large Boston or Butter lettuce leaves
- salt and pepper
- 1 and 1/4 cup matchstick (julienned) carrots
- One large red bell pepper, thinly sliced into matchsticks (~1 cup)
- 25 ounces of a matchstick (julienned) English or Persian cucumber (2 to 3 Persian cucumbers).
- Fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro for topping
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped peanuts
- Three tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons each: rice vinegar, low sodium soy sauce
- One tablespoon + 2 teaspoons of water
- 1/8 teaspoon each: pepper, cayenne pepper
Making process:
- In a small robust blender jar (I use a mini Blendtec/twister jar), combine 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, three tablespoons honey, two tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon plus two teaspoons water, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, depending on your heat preference), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. While preparing the other components, blend until smooth.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the following vegetables: Cut a dash of bell pepper and carrots into matchstick-sized pieces each (or use prepared matchstick carrots). Cucumbers are cut into matchstick-sized chunks. Season the veggies with salt if you are not using salted nuts. Finely chop the peanuts.
- Wash and dry twelve lettuce leaves completely. Distribute the chicken evenly among the 12 lettuce leaves, followed by the veggies and peanuts. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges before serving. Distribute the sauce generously over the wraps and serve immediately.
Final thought:
Summer heat may leave you exhausted and lethargic. Eat smaller servings of lighter meals to increase your energy. ‘Enjoy a range of healthy summer food high in water, vitamins, and minerals to keep your body comfortable and cool.’
If you want to stay healthy and attractive in summer, you may try our healthy summer foods recipes in this post.
