As the weather continues to warm up over these next few months, don’t let the heat get you down! Summer can be an energizing time of year to switch-up your routine in favor of fresh ideas and activities.
Fortunately, it’s also a great time to add some flare and flavor to the foods you eat. Incorporating new, healthy recipes into your diet is a great way to break up a monotonous food rut and further your weight/health efforts. With summer crops now in season, why not renovate your plate?
Add these Summer Recipes to Your Cookbook!
Whether you cook up some fun in the kitchen or right in your backyard, these recipes can help you celebrate summer while staying on track.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dried
- 1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
- 1 small onion, minced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup bulghur
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cores and ribs removed
- 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium stewed tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, combine beef, spinach, zucchini, onion, bulghur, egg, oregano, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Pour tomatoes over the peppers and sprinkle with feta cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until meat mixture is properly cooked and peppers are tender — about 25 mins longer.
BBQ Carrot Dogs
Ingredients:
- 8 medium carrots
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 8 whole wheat hot dog buns, toasted if desired
- Ketchup, mustard, relish and/or sauerkraut for serving
Directions:
- Peel carrots and trim to fit the length of your hot dog buns. Bring a couple inches of water to boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Add carrots, cover and steam until barely cooked through — 12-15 minutes.
- Whisk broth, vinegar, soy sauce (or tamari), mustard, garlic powder and paprika in a sealable 1-gallon plastic bag. Add the carrots, seal and place the bag in the refrigerator, keeping the carrots in a single layer. Marinate for at least 3 hours or even 1 day, turning twice.
- Preheat grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat.
- Remove the carrots from marinade. Grill the carrots, turning once or twice, until they are hot and have grill marks — about 5 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite condiments.
Source: EatingWell
Grilled Mango with Jalapenos
Ingredients:
- 3 mangoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 lime, halved
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema (or 1/3 cup sour cream/Greek yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons milk)
- Thinly sliced jalapeno peppers and fresh cilantro for topping
Directions:
- Preheat grill to medium. Peel mangoes and cut the flesh from the pit in large flat slices; lay on a baking sheet. Season mango slices with salt, black pepper and cayenne and drizzle with olive oil. Turn the slices over and repeat.
- Grill mango slices, turning once, until well marked — 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and squeeze the lime juice on top. Drizzle with crema (or crema substitute) and top with jalapenos and cilantro.
Source: Food Network
Frozen Yogurt Pops with Peaches
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. packaged, plain, no-sugar-added, frozen, sliced and thawed peaches (divided, no sauce added)
- 1 cup fat-free, plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions:
- In the bowl of a food processor, add 1 1/2 cups thawed peaches from bag, yogurt and honey. Process about 1 minute until mixture turns into a puree.
- Transfer puree to a large bowl or large liquid measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring. Chop remaining peaches into bite-sized pieces and add into the bowl, along with any lingering peach liquid from the bag.
- Divide mixture among Popsicle molds, filling each almost to the top. Place in the freezer overnight.
- To remove from molds, hold under warm water until Popsicle can be easily pulled free.
Source: American Heart Association
