Take advantage of summer’s bounty and try a few of these healthy and delicious recipes
Summer is the perfect time to explore some light, refreshing, and healthy recipes. With hot and humid weather, summer salads, refreshing drinks, and easy-to-make dressings and snacks are just the ticket to healthy summer meals. In this blog, we’ve gathered some favorite summer recipes for you to try. Let’s dig in!
Summer Salads
Salads are the perfect warm-weather food; they’re light, crispy, cool, and can be very healthy. Whether you decide on a quinoa grain bowl, traditional lettuce, or crunchy kale, you’ll be getting excellent nutritional benefits. Here are some top recipes for summer salads:
Watermelon Feta Salad
This healthy, refreshing, and hydrating salad is filled with health benefits. With juicy watermelon, savory feta, and a dressing of olive oil with balsamic, you’ll be sure to have a new summer salad favorite. Check out the recipe here, and don’t be afraid to experiment with adding some slivered nuts or croutons for extra crunch.
Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad
While many of us have enjoyed a traditional caprese salad, you can give it a summer twist by adding peaches. This light and refreshing dish can be great as an appetizer for a large group or perfect on its own as a light lunch. Try searching your local farmer’s market for the freshest, tastiest tomatoes and peaches for this dish.
Chickpea Salad
If you’re looking for a bean-based salad, check out this chickpea salad; it has fresh tomatoes, feta, basil, and plenty of seasonings for a fresh, light, and healthy meal. This one is great to pack along for a summer picnic or to take to a cookout. You can also experiment by adding or substituting different veggies to create your own flavor combo.
Thai Cucumber Salad
For the freshest, crunchiest salad, try the Thai cucumber salad this summer. You’ll get hydration and crunch from the cucumbers, a bit of kick from the jalapeno, and light flavors from cilantro. This is a perfect refreshing summer salad, and you can easily modify it. Add chicken or tofu on top for protein or consider adding seaweed (nori) for extra health benefits and crunch.
Summer Dressings
With all the fresh fruits and vegetables of summer’s bounty, try creating dips and dressings for your snacks and meals. Dressings can go on salads, as spreads on sandwiches, or dips with fresh carrots, cucumber, or celery:
Lemon Salad Dressing
For a super tangy, bright, and citrusy dressing, try this Lebanese lemon salad dressing. It’s easy and quick to make, and will be sure to add a summer brightness to any salad or grain bowl it’s drizzled on.
Poppyseed Dressing
For your summer fruit salads (looking at you, strawberry feta salad!) try this poppyseed dressing. It’s light and delicious, and adds a nice balance to sweeter fruit salads. A simple blender and the ingredients are all this easy recipe takes.
Sun Dried Tomato Hummus
For a great dipping snack, try this sun dried tomato hummus recipe. It’s easy to make and incorporates a Mediterranean-style diet into your summer dishes. Serve with freshly sliced veggies like carrots or with pita bread. Hummus can also be used as a dressing or mix-in with a grain bowl.
Drink Recipes
Staying healthy and hydrated is important all year round, but especially in the hot summer months. Here are a few healthy and fun summer drink recipes that are sure to please:
Alcohol-Free Mojitos
For a refreshing summer drink without alcohol, take a look at these refreshing mojitos! You’ll get all of the mint, lime, and refreshment of a mojito with none of the dehydration. Mix and match with flavors – strawberry mint, watermelon mint, and cucumber mint are all fun combinations to try.
Pink Champagne Mocktail
If you’re looking for a beautiful summer drink, look no further than this pink champagne mocktail. For extra health benefits, look to your local farmer’s market or grocery store for fresh juice for an extra health kick in this tasty drink.
Summer’s bounty of fruits and vegetables is a great time to branch out and try some new healthy summer recipes. There’s plenty of exciting new food and drinks to try this year! For more healthy recipes and inspiration, take a look at the CapTel blog.
