Tomato season is coming in, and many are looking for new creative ways to use tomatoes. This bean dip is high in fiber and protein but still gives the cheesy satisfaction of pizza. This recipe would also make a great topping for grilled or baked chicken or shrimp. Pair with a fresh salad, and you have a delicious and healthy summer meal the whole family will love.
Category: Recipes
Mason Jar Soup
Meal prep can get boring — chicken with brown rice and broccoli, or some leftover dinner— same old, same old. This meal prep idea is fresh and unique and provides a healthy alternative to a classic meal you might remember from your college days: Cup o’ Noodles! … except this version is packed with nutrition.
This recipe leaves room for you to get creative with your veggies; you can really add anything you want. Have you heard the phrase “eat the rainbow” before? Every color in our veggies correlates to a different set of nutrients, and if we “eat the rainbow,” we get in a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to optimize our health. I encourage you to try some new colored veggies when you make this mason jar noodle soup. Top it off with a soft-boiled egg to make this meal prep extra satisfying.
Cucumber Sorbet
Vegetables for dessert?! It’s not as unusual as it sounds. It’s likely you’ve had carrot cake or zucchini bread before. Finding unique ways to prepare vegetables is vital for maintaining interest in what we eat. When relying on the same few recipes, it’s not uncommon to get bored, and then those veggies fall out of favor.
Many desserts include nutrient-rich vegetables such as black bean brownies, chocolate beet cake, sweet potato pie, pumpkin muffins or a rhubarb tart. You may notice that most of these desserts are baked goods, making this cucumber sorbet recipe stand out. It’s cool and refreshing, a perfect way to end a hot summer day — and a way to get a little extra veg in before going to bed. Try making it with a handful of fresh mint too!
Lemony White Bean Salad
Arugula is a wonderful and flavorful addition to many dishes. It can be used as a topping from everything, from sandwiches to pizza! Or you can enjoy it on its own as a salad like in this recipe. Its lovely black peppery flavor comes from a chemical compound called glucosinolates. Research has found that these compounds, commonly found in plants from the Brassicaceae family (arugula, cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) may have protective qualities for our heart and brain health.
Sweet and Spicy Cherry Chutney
Cherries are delicious on their own, but are you looking for a new and unique way to eat them? Try this tangy topping. Cherry chutney is a great addition to barbecue or spread over some cornbread on the side. Cherries are an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C and they’re loaded with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and help our heart health. This recipe has even greater anti-inflammatory power with ingredients like olive oil and ginger. Cherries are also a natural source of melatonin, and some studies suggest that eating cherries may help you sleep better.
The Best Peas and Pasta
Peas are far more versatile than they’re given credit for. It’s likely you’re used to something like a pile of peas, topped with a little pat of salted butter, rolling away on your plate. But so much more can be done with peas! They can be braised, roasted or pureed into a hummus type dip or a creamy sauce base like this recipe. If you buy whole pea pods, they’re great as a raw snack, sliced and added to salads, or sauteed or even grilled. This recipe features a thick, creamy, garlicy sauce made from pureed peas. Peas are a good plant-based protein high in fiber and they’re an excellent addition to something like pasta. Top this with grilled chicken or shrimp and consider garnishing with some chopped sun-dried tomato to complete the meal.
Edamame Salad with Citrus Sesame Dressing
Maybe you’ve heard about the health benefits of soy. It’s a protein-packed nutrition bomb, loaded with flavonoids that may help reduce the incidence of cancers and rich in fiber and other vitamin and minerals. But tofu just sounds really unappealing. Try some edamame! This is the whole soybean, which comes in pods similar to peas, with a firm texture that makes a great addition to salads, pastas, casseroles or even just on its own.
Strawberry Fruit Rolls
It’s strawberry season! Strawberries are a great little package of nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, folate and potassium, along with many other phytochemicals that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. There is nothing quite like a summer-ripe strawberry. Give this fruit leather recipe a try and enjoy those sweet berries for up to two weeks past peak season.
Greek Potato Salad
As summer comes along, many will be looking for healthier alternatives to summertime classics, such as a potato salad. This recipe includes nutrient-packed Mediterranean goodies such as olives, sun-dried tomatoes and dill, each containing antioxidants important to heart health. However, you may notice that some of the ingredients in this recipe come in a salty brine. The high sodium content may lead to an increase in blood pressure, so look for low sodium options when shopping for ingredients such as olives, capers and feta.
Mushroom Polenta Porridge
Polenta makes a great savory breakfast base. Top with any sauteed veggies you’d like, a sprinkle of cheese and runny egg or maybe fresh, juicy slice of tomato. Polenta is simply a type of cornmeal you can make into a porridge, like in this recipe, or it can be made thick so that you can slice it and pan fry or grill it. You can make the recipe with just polenta (use ¾ cup) but in this version, some of the corn was taken out substituted for flax meal. This lowers the carbs a little bit while adding fiber and more heart-healthy fats. Small, healthy changes like this add up over time! This is a great alternative to oatmeal.