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Looking for good, healthy food to enjoy while enjoying the weather this summer? Check out these five healthy summer recipes for inspiration.
Summer is in full force across the country and no one wants to be stuck in a hot kitchen when it’s sweltering outside, right? Summer is a time for grilling, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and light, flavorful meals.
These healthy summer recipes are sure to satisfy you and your family and keep you out of the kitchen. Not one of them requires you to turn on your oven! Keep reading for your next meal ideas.
1. Grilled Anything
Grilling is so easy you don’t even really need a recipe! You can grill pretty much anything: meat, vegetables, potatoes, even pizza.
The beauty of grilling is that it’s quick, healthy, simple, and requires minimal cleanup. Whether you want to grill chicken, steak, or pork, you can use this marinade recipe:
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 TBSP minced garlic
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 TSP freshly grated ginger
- 2 TBSP onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Mix all of these together, marinate your meat for 24 hours in the refrigerator, and then enjoy tender, flavorful meat on the grill for dinner.
2. Strawberry Spinach Salad
Bring together the flavors of summer with this light and fresh salad. Combine baby spinach, cut strawberries, and slivered or sliced almonds and then toss in a dressing of honey, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. If you want protein, grilled chicken adds a nice touch to this simple salad!
For the dressing:
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBSP honey
- 1 TBSP sugar
If you want to get fancy, you can make sugared almonds. Just melt 1 TBSP of sugar and 1/2 cup of almonds on the stove, and stir until the almonds are coated. Let them cool on wax paper and then toss them with the spinach and strawberries.
3. Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Mediterranean orzo salad brings together the following ingredients in a delicious salty and sweet combination.
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 TBSP honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Toss it all together and enjoy as a side dish to your grilled pork chops, chicken, or steak.
4. Mango Salsa and Homemade Tortilla Chips
Nothing screams summer like fresh, fruity salsa and homemade tortilla chips for dipping! This mango salsa is simple and quick (but be sure to make a double batch, as it will disappear quickly!).
2 mangoes that have been peeled, pitted and diced (get tips here on how to do that)
- 1 small red onion, peeled and diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
Toss everything together, and that’s it!
To make homemade tortilla chips, cut up corn or flour tortillas, spray with a little cooking spray, and then bake in the oven or the air fryer at 350 degrees for about 5-6 minutes.
5. Jalapeno Lime Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob is the veggie of summer everywhere. Take yours up a notch with grilled corn on the cob with jalapeno lime butter.
Grill your corn (check out some tips to do that) and while that’s grilling, make your jalapeno lime butter.
- 1 stick of butter
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
Pulse all of this in a blender or food processor and then place on a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap and then roll it up, so you can slice it once hard. Put it in the freezer until you’re ready to eat, and then slice the roll of butter. It will melt right over your grilled corn.
What Healthy Summer Recipes Are on Your Meal Plan?
These healthy summer recipes should get you started for making your next meal plan. Think light, flavorful, and grilled recipes that don’t require the use of your oven for the best summer eats.
For more recipes and tips on meal planning and eating healthy, check out some of our other food blog posts.
