8 Easy and Healthy Summer Recipes Everyone Will LOVE

Nutrition & Food as Medicine

July 9, 2021

Summer seems to fly by every year! Between the kids being home from school, summer vacations, gatherings with friends and family, and all the relaxing pool days, feeling motivated to decide what healthy summer recipes to make isn’t always quite that simple.

During this time of year my clients often tell me that they’re busy all day and by the time they’re arriving home for dinner everyone is starving! It can be a challenge not to end up eating something that satisfies them in the moment but leaves them feeling not so great later or the next day.

Lasting health and well-being require healthy nourishment all year round, even during the busy seasons. I LOVE supporting my clients in every way possible on their healing journeys. One of the many ways in which I do this is by LOADING their holistic healing toolboxes with easy and healthy summer recipes.

It is so much easier to navigate those busy times when you can turn off the little voice note in your mind that’s asking, “what am I going to do about dinner later?”.

Today I’m sharing some of my all-time favorite easy and healthy summer recipes from my own collection. I picked healthy summer recipes that are some of the fan favorites of my clients (and me too!). You’ll find a few side dishes, a few entrees, and a couple of bonus healthy desserts!

Eggplant Fries

1 large eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¾ cup almond meal or flour (can also use gluten free oat or rice flour)
Ketchup to serve

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash and dry eggplant. Cut it into thin, fry-like sticks. The thinner the sticks are cut, the crispier they will be when done.
Place eggplant sticks in a large bowl with the olive oil and toss to coat all eggplant. Add the paprika, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and toss again to coat all eggplant. Add the almond meal or flour and toss once more to coat.
Spread all eggplant evenly on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Leftovers are good reheated or cold.

*serves 3-4 as a side dish

*recipe adapted from Party in Your Plants

Healthy Potato Salad (fat free)

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
½ teaspoon mustard powder
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Optional additions: ½ cup thinly slices radish or cucumber or chopped asparagus (steamed or raw)

Add 3 inches of water to medium-sized pot, bring to boil, add steaming basket. Place potatoes in basket, cover, steam 5-10min, until tender.
Remove and place potatoes in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Add any additions you want.

*Makes 2 servings

*Recipe by Medical Medium

15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

1 medium garlic clove
¼ cup lightly packed fresh basil, plus extra for serving
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, extra if needed
1 ripe medium avocado, pitted
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
9 ounces gluten free paste

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to instructions on package. Can also use zucchini noodles.
Make the sauce: In food processor, combine garlic and basil and pulse to mince. Add lemon juice, avocado, oil, and water and process until smooth. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. If sauce is too thick, add a little more oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir sauce into cooked pasta once drained and combine. Top with pepper and fresh basil leaves.

*makes 3 servings

*recipe by Oh She Glows

Lemon Dill Salmon

2 12-ounce fillets or 1 ½ pound fillet of salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ to 1-ounce fresh dill
2 lemons cut into slices
½ cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Use olive oil, salt, and pepper to very lightly oil and season both sides of the salmon.
Arrange about half the lemon and dill on the bottom of a baking dish and place salmon on top, skin side down. Arrange the remaining lemon and dill on the top of the salmon.
Pour water into the baking dish. (Can also use veggie stock).
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake salmon until the fish flakes and white bubbles appear on the surface, 12-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon.
Check the salmon after 10 minutes to see how its cooking.
The internal temperature of the salmon should be at least 125 F when it is done.

*makes 4 servings

Veggie Skewers

Marinade ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Skewers:

1 small eggplant
1 zucchini
1 red onion
1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper
Cherry tomatoes
8-10 mushrooms (any variety)

Peel and cut red onions into equal sized pieces.
If you use small mushrooms, no need to cut them. Just wash them.
Wash tomatoes. No other prep needed.
Cut bell pepper into equal 2 x 2-inch sized pieces after removing stem and seeds.
Cut zucchini and eggplant ½ inch thick slices. No need to peel.
In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients.
Use metal or bamboo skewers. If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them for Serves 2 -recommend making a bigger batch 20 minutes before placing the veggies on them if you are using a gas grill to cook them. Soaking is not necessary if you are cooking on the stovetop.
Place the veggies on the skewers, leaving a small space in between each so heat reaches all sides of the veggies. Leave 1-2 inches free at both ends of the skewers.
Use a silicone brush to cover the skewers with marinade generously.
Grill: Preheat to 200C/400F and grill the skewers for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through.
Stovetop: Heat a grill pan to medium. Place skewers on pan leaving a small space between each skewer. Cook for 5 minutes on both sides.
Oven: Preheat to 200C/400F. Use a baking tray with a grill rack or a glass oven safe dish. Cook under the broiler for 10 minutes. Turn them halfway through.

Our Favorite Roasted Potatoes (fat free)

2 large russet potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and diced into quarter cubes or smaller
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a large bowl, toss together potatoes and seasonings
Pour potatoes onto baking sheet
Bake 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, flip potatoes halfway through

* Serves 2 -recommend making a bigger batch

Banana Cherry Smoothie (fat free)

1 cup frozen cherries
2 bananas
1 cup coconut water or water
1-2 dates (optional to add sweetness)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

*Makes 1 serving. Double recipe to use as a meal or share for a snack.

Wild Blueberry Pie

1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
4 cups dates, pitted
1 mango, diced
20 ounces frozen wild blueberries, thawed

Crust: Process the coconut, cashews, and 3 cups of dates in a food processor until combined and smooth. Press crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Cover and refrigerate.
Filling: Process half of the wild blueberries, the rest of the dates, and mango in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the other half of the wild blueberries. Pour the filling into the pie crust and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. Serve the pie cold.