It’s so much easier to eat really healthy in the Summer months. With the farmer’s markets overflowing with colorful and fresh produce, it’s hard to go wrong. Here are my top 10 health-boosting tips for this summer:
1. Farm-fresh-to-you: It’s an ideal time to try out a farm box from a local farm scheme. Go to Local Harvest to find out where your nearest farm that delivers is. Some farms also exchange fresh produce for volunteer hours put in at the farm. Since it’s beautiful outside, it might be a fun thing to do to bring the family together on weekends.
2. Keep It Simple: You can cut down on the cost and time by really keeping things simple. In the Summer you can buy gorgeous organic heirloom tomatoes at the farmer’s market. They are just too good to throw into other dishes – even salads. I recommend cutting thick slices and serving them for dinner with sliced avocado, and perhaps a really good mozzarella or goat cheese. A few fresh basil leaves, fruity olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar will finish the dish off. If you serve with warm crusty ciabatta bread, you have a lovely light dinner with no washing up.
3. Healthy Grilling: We tend to think of meat when we think of grilling, but I urge you to slash your grocery bills this Summer and losing inches from your waist by eating less meat. In the Summer it’s easy to make a grilled veggie be the centerpiece of a weekday meal. Portobello mushroom, marinated eggplant, asparagus, corn-on-the-cob, and zucchini are all good choices. Serve with pesto rice, a green crunchy salad or smashed fingerling potatoes. Remember that charred meats have been linked to cancer, so if you ever grill meat, I recommend that you never char it.
4. Get Herbs: Whether you grow your own or buy them from the store, make sure that you have a bunch offresh herbs to hand. The must-have herbs for the summer are basil, cilantro, mint, flat-leaved parsley and oregano. If alone, I’ll often make a bowl of gluten-free pasta and simply top it with good quality olive oil and a cup of chopped-up fresh herbs and a little Parmesan – simple, delicious and frugal! Herbs are also great to add to green salads to make them more interesting. I recommend placing your herbs in a mug or glass and snipping them with a pair of scissors.
5. Get Fishy: Since fresh fish is so delicious- especially on the grill, look out for wild caught salmon, which is only in season in June/July. It’s expensive but well worth buying for a treat. Tilapia is a sustainable fish and is also good for grilling because unlike some of the other white fishes, it won’t fall apart. I do recommend using a grill basket for grilling most fish. Brush the fish first with oil or marinade and then brush the grill basket with an oil soaked paper towel. Make sure the grill is really hot when you put the basket on, as you want to sear the outside of the fish.
6. Shred the Greens: All those wonderful greens such as spinach, kale, dandelion greens and chard can be shredded into cool, crispySummer salads. Try to eat a salad with raw greens in it every single day. Store your greens in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge until you are ready to use them. It’s best to use them up within 4 days – after 8 days more than 50% of the nutrients have been lost. It’s also better not to wash or chop your greens until you are ready to use them.
7. Yogurt time: Plain, creamy yogurt pairs so well with stone fruits and berries to make a satisfying dessert or special breakfast. I always keep a giant jar of homemade yogurt in my fridge during the Summer, as I also make a healthier mayo with it (I use 50% organic mayo and cut it with 50% plain yogurt.) My favorite Summer dessert is fresh strawberries or peaches (must be organic,) cut up on a plate with a pile of thick plain yogurt and a pile of Coconut Palm Sugar – yummy!
8. BBQ Sauce: Have a go at making my awesome BBQ sauce. It’s so easy to make and much cheaper than buying gourmet BBQ sauces at the store. It pairs beautifully with veggie & portobello burgers.
9. Go Nuts: Instead of serving chips at BBQ’s, which are the most carb-dense food you can eat, serve nuts. I recommend purchasingraw nuts from bulk bins (fresher and healthier,) if you like salted and roasted nuts, it’s much healthier to do it yourself. Simply roll the nuts in a little pure olive oil and roast in a hot oven (400 F), for 15-20 minutes, making sure you turn them every 5 minutes to prevent burning. When done, sprinkle with some unrefined sea salt and/or smoked paprika. My favorite nut this Summer is the Marcona Almond. Trader Joe’s sells bags of these tasty almonds with sea salt and rosemary – I’m totally addicted.
10: Avoid ice-blended drinks: This is an important tip, because you can be trying so hard to do all the healthy stuff and then go to the coffee shop and ruin in all with one of those tempting ice-blended drinks. Most of them are loaded with sugar-heavy powders, which will spike your blood sugar and pack on the pounds. Keep a pitcher of iced green tea in your office or home fridge and if you like sweet drinks, sweeten it with a little agave nectar when the tea is still hot. When chilled, add a handful of fresh mint leaves.
