Easy Summertime Recipes + Nutrition Tips
You won’t even feel like you are eating “healthy” with these 3 recipes from Proximal5o’s Registered Dietitian, Vanessa Lennick.
POTATO SALAD
Everyone goes for the usual side dishes like macaroni salad and potato salad. But they can be heavy and spoil quickly. Serving guacamole and hummus as side dishes provide a healthier alternative (and you don’t have to worry about them in the heat as much as dairy based foods!) Both have higher fiber and fewer calories while still being satisfying.
If potato salad IS on the menu, make a vinegar-based version instead of mayonnaise. Ditching the mayo will also help protect the food against quick spoilage.
Veggie Potato Salad
This is a favorite from Nancy a P50 Gym Member’s that came from from her late mother-in-law, Marcia.
16 oz can peas- drained (Nancy uses 12 oz pkg of frozen peas they hold up better)
16 oz can green beans – drained
16 oz can whole corn – drained
1 small jar green olives w/pimento
1 onion chopped (add to taste or substitute with shallot)
5 stalks celery chopped
1 green pepper chopped (optional)
Dressing
-¾ cup sugar or ¼ cup stevia
-½ cup olive oil
-½ cup vinegar
- Mix all ingredients together
- Make dressing and add to ingredients.
It’s a great salad to make the day before, increases in flavor as it is refrigerated.
CONDIMENTS
Adding condiments to our favorite meals/entrees in the summer can be a habit we don’t even notice we do! Sure they are tasty, but most contain extra sugars. Why have a bunch of sugar in your condiments when you can enjoy them elsewhere?! You can make your own condiments with items that are most likely IN your house already:
Roasted Garlic Cilantro Chimichurri
2 bunches of fresh cilantro leaves
2 heads of Roasted Garlic
¾ cup Olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
- Trim stems from cilantro and finely chop.
- Chop roasted garlic and add to cilantro.
- Stir in oil and salt.
- Serve after sitting at room temperature to allow oil to liquify. Store in the refrigerator.
This would be great on chicken breasts, meatballs, steak, roasted potatoes, and fajitas.
Spicy Basil Cream Sauce
1 handful basil leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 serrano pepper chopped
½ cup greek yogurt
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
pinch of salt
- First you will add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Next, add salt to taste and ENJOY!!
ADD IN FRUIT & VEGGIES IN
Lastly, adding more color to your meals will help you get a variety of nutrients! Instead of getting color from frosting or candy, we should be getting added color from fruits and veggies (you guessed that one right?)
You could easily do watermelon, apricots, plums, or peaches on the grill for a short time. They’ll not only add color to the party but they’ll also serve as healthful dessert options as well.
Here’s a deliciously nutritious salad recipe you can eat throughout the summer!
Black Bean and Mango Salad
1 avocado, diced
2 15 oz cans Black Beans
¼ cup Cilantro, fresh, chopped
½ jalapeno pepper
2 mangos, diced (could try frozen or canned)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ red onion, diced
2 limes
Mix ingredients, squeeze limes onto salad.
Do you have other favorite summertime recipes? Share them with us on social media!
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