3 Healthy Recipes for Summer
Summer is in full swing and that means backyard barbecues, family gatherings, and lots of summer picnic fun! Indulge guilt-free in these three tasty summer recipes.
Chicken & Blueberry Pasta Salad
This dish is perfect for summer. It’s a nice, light appetizer and it also brings in some color to keep things festive.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
- 8 ounces whole-wheat fusilli or radiatore (for gluten free, try rice pasta)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool. Shred into bite-size strips.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, place oil and shallot in a small skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Add broth, feta and lime juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the feta begins to melt, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the chicken to the bowl with the pasta. Add the dressing, blueberries, thyme, lime zest and salt and toss until combined.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 315 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 49 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 5 g fiber; 238 mg sodium; 207 mg potassium.
Grilled Salmon Soft Tacos
Instead of the normal burgers and tacos, why not try something new? Soft tacos are becoming more and more popular and the salmon adds an Omega 3 boost for a healthier alternative to the more traditional taco filling.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ancho or New Mexico chile powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 4 4-ounce wild salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick, skin on
- 8 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed (or romaine lettuce leaves for a low carb option)
- Cabbage Slaw
- Citrus Salsa, any kind
- Cilantro Crema
Preparation:
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine oil, chile powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture liberally over salmon. Grill the salmon, skin-side down, until it is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Cut each fillet lengthwise into 2 pieces and remove the skin if desired.
To serve, place 2 tortillas on each plate. Evenly divide the fish, Cabbage Slaw, Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Crema among the tortillas.
Nutrition:
Per serving (with salmon skin removed): 567 calories; 30 g fat (6 g sat, 17 g mono); 83 mg cholesterol; 45 g carbohydrates; 32 g protein; 9 g fiber; 481 mg sodium; 1151 mg potassium.
Berry Parfaits
You can’t have a summer picnic without dessert. This festive parfait is easy to make and healthy! Give your meal a pop of color with colorful berry selections. You can sub cherries, blackberries, or other fruits as desired.
Ingredients (makes 4 servings):
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, cut into slices
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
- 3 cups Greek yogurt
- 4 Tbsp slivered almonds
Preparation:
Combine strawberries and blueberries in a bowl. In four dishes, add berries and yogurt in alternating layers: 1/2 cup berries, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/4 berries, 1/4 cup yogurt. Top with 1 Tbsp of slivered almonds per dish. Add a whole strawberry for garnish if desired.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 85 calories; 3 g fat (2 g mono, 1g poly); 1 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 2 g fiber; 22 mg sodium; 153 mg potassium.