3 Fresh and Healthy Summer Recipes
Foodies love summer. As a greater variety of veggies and fruits help them reap the benefits of natural diversity, a range of possibilities for cooking light, fresh and healthy open up. Cooling foods are usually preferred during this season. Cucumbers, watermelons, bananas, avocados, coconut, sea vegetables, dark leafy greens, cauliflower, pepper, tea… They all decrease heat, eliminate toxins and nourish the yin according to Chinese medicine. Here is a list of must-eat foods this summer along with recipes.
Avocado
Leafy greens, carrots and sweet potatoes contain carotenoids, but the fact is that they contain little fat, and fat is the one improving the absorption of these orange-yellow pigments. In this respect, avocado is a true super food. Additionally, a study indicates that this fruit can increase carotenoid absorption of other foods. Finally, avocado is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid, which can prevent heart diseases.
Avocado chicken salad
Preheat the grill pan. Add the oil and season 250g chicken breasts. Grill them for 6 minutes, then slice them. Put the following ingredients in a bowl – 1 sliced avocado, ½ cup of Greek yoghurt and 4 tsps of lime juice. Season and blend. Place 2/3 cup of shredded red cabbage, 1 sliced Granny Smith apple, 10 cherry tomatoes, 2 cups of baby spinach and 1 grated carrot in the bowl with the avocado mixture. Serve with fresh coriander leaves.
Matcha tea
Drinking a cup of hot tea on a summer day may seem illogical, but scientists claim that hot tea can help you cool down. As Professor Peter McNaughton, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge told Deutsche Welle, hot beverages stimulate sweating and as sweat evaporates, you feel cooled down.
That’s when it comes to tea in general, but what about matcha tea? Matcha green tea detoxifies your body, clears your skin, gives you an energy boost, keeps you hydrated and improves your metabolism. All these health benefits make drinking matcha tea a great option for pre-workout.
Matcha coconut fudge
Add 880g of low-fat cottage cheese, 1 tsp of vanilla paste, 1 ½ tsp of stevia extract and 2 tbsps of matcha powder in a bowl. Blend and while blending, pour 1/3 cup of melted coconut butter into the mixture. Spread the mixture into the pan and let it sit in a fridge for 2 hours. Slice the fudge into pieces and coat them with shredded coconut. Refrigerate the fudge overnight and serve the next day.
Melons – cucumber and watermelon
Melons are low in calories and fat, yet high in vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium. Cucumbers contain phytonutrients, such as flavonoids, cucurbitacins and lignans. Lignans have been widely associated with a reduced risk of prostate, ovarian, breast and uterine cancer as well as a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Watermelon is effective against dehydration during scorching summer days since it is made of 92% of water. Watermelon contains a beneficial compound called citrulline, which can boost cardiovascular health and control weight gain. Citrulline in watermelon is also known for improving muscle soreness. If you need help, here’s a guide on how to cut a watermelon. Finally, choline also found in this fruit and vegetable in one is responsible for normal brain development.
Chicken with cucumber-watermelon salsa
Place 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 tbsps of grapeseed oil, 1 tbsp of honey, ¼ tsp of ground ginger, ½ tsps of ground chilli pepper and 4 crushed garlic cloves in a bowl. Add 800g of chicken breasts and keep them in the marinade for 2 hours. When marinated, place chicken breasts on the grill pan and cook them for 6 minutes. Add 200g of chopped watermelon, 200g of chopped cucumbers, 1 chopped green onion, ½ of minced jalapeno, 2 tbsps of chopped cilantro, 2 tbsps of lime juice, 1 tsp of honey, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir.
These recipes are healthy, easy and quick to make. They scream summer we can’t wait to come and knock on our doors.