You probably have tons of activities planned for the summer. This time of the year is everyone’s favorite because it means warmer, longer days perfect for traveling and trying new sports. But because the summer weather also tends to get too hot and sticky, you need to keep your meals light. Being too full will likely prevent you from making the most out of the season.
Summer calls for light yet tasty dishes — and this article will present several. Even if you’re not an expert in the kitchen or rarely spend time cooking, you can copy the recipes here with ease. All of the recipes are as easy as 1-2-3!
Summer Peach Salsa
If you’re looking for a recipe that will only take a few minutes to make, try out summer peach salsa! You can serve this alone or pair it with grilled chicken or fish.
To make summer peach salsa, dice some peaches, red pepper, and red onion. Mix them with salt, pepper, lime juice, cilantro, and you’re good to go. If you want to add more heat to the salad, add some jalapeño peppers to the mix.
Don’t forget to check out Aldi offers next week and not only, other stores like Lidl, Costco, Makro and Morrisons also have weekly offers featuring discounts on peaches and red peppers. Buying from the right store can become your key to using the freshest ingredients without hurting your summer budget!
These stores have all two things in common – you can find them just around the corner, and take advantage of their amazing deals, so make sure to not miss out.
Summertime Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Do your kids love spaghetti but often complain as they’re served with the same recipe every time? Worried that they can’t complete their summer bucket list because they’re too picky on food? Making summertime spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce can solve these problems.
What makes the summertime spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce different is its sauce, which is fairly easy to make. You just need to grate tomatoes and add chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Mix the sauce once the pasta is al dente and serve.
You can make the recipe gluten-free by using firm gluten-free pasta, like a quinoa and corn blend. If you or your kids are vegan, sprinkle the dish with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan.
Watermelon and Mango Salad
Eating watermelon during summer can do wonders for your body because they contain a lot of water. Watermelons help you stay hydrated, improves your heart health, and protect your skin. You can use watermelons in your salads as they’re perfect for keeping you refreshed throughout the summer.
Watermelon and mango salad is one of the easiest recipes you can make this summer. For this recipe, you just need to mix watermelons, ripe mangos, lime juice, herbs (coriander and cilantro are excellent choices), nuts, and seasonings in one bowl.
You can serve this salad as a fresh and light appetizer or a side dish paired with any grilled or spicy meal. If you’re going to prepare the salad in advance, only season it when you’re ready to serve. Soaking the fruits in seasonings might make the salad too bitter.
Triple Berry French Toast
What’s lighter and more delicious than an early morning Triple Berry French Toast.
Made with French baguette, heavy cream, vanilla extract, eggs, maple syrup and summer-grown berries such as raspberries, blueberries and blackberries packed full of benefits for yourself and your whole family.
Raspberries’ health benefits start from healthy hair, skin, and bones and maintaining weight.
Whereas the health benefits of blueberries cover cognitive abilities, and reduction of heart-related diseases and cancer.
Similarly, blackberries reduce disease risks, help in brain power and support oral health.
This can be also served as a light dinner meal which won’t put your stomach off even if you’ve already eaten heavily at lunchtime.
Green Goddess Hummus Sandwich
Summer is all about spending time outdoors, which is why you need meals that are easy to prepare and convenient to eat. You don’t want to struggle every time you want to eat outdoors, right?
The green goddess hummus sandwich is perfect for summer because it’s light, healthy, and can be eaten using one hand. You can enjoy this recipe by layering green goddess hummus, cucumbers, lettuce leaves, and pickles inside two slices of sturdy whole grain.
You can experiment with the vegetable you choose to add to the sandwich. You can use cabbages, radishes, shallots, fennels, or beets — whatever is available in your area.
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
With the number of activities, you’ll do this summer, you need to consume foods that provide energy, like brown rice. Brown rice contains 88% of the recommended dietary intake for manganese, an essential ingredient to break down carbohydrates and produce energy.
To make Thai pineapple fried rice, mix fresh pineapple, red bell peppers, green onions, cashews, cooked brown rice, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a wok. Add salt and pepper to taste and some fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing.
If you want to take the recipe up a notch, cut some pineapples in half, scrape the insides, and use it as a bowl. This presentation will surely make the recipe stand out, especially during gatherings.
Grilled Tilapia with Mango
For anyone who’s a fan of seafood but is tired of eating fried fish all the time, the grilled tilapia with mango recipe is for you. This recipe has a sweet kick and is packed with different vitamins and nutrients from the fish.
Making grilled tilapia with mango only takes a few minutes. After sprinkling the fillets with salt, pepper, and dill, place them inside a foil and grill over medium heat for about five minutes. Turn the tilapia and then top with mango, cheese, and lemon. Grill the fish again for six minutes or until the meat is flaky.
Enjoy Light Meals
The recipes presented in this article are easy to make and require ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen. So what are you waiting for? Roll up your sleeves, gather your ingredients, and start preparing the recipes mentioned here. Indulging these light meals will help you enjoy the summer season!