Nutritionist, expert at the International Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIIN)
“In summer, we crave quick, easy, refreshing and cool dishes. After all, rich soups, hot stews and mayonnaise salads are difficult not only to eat in the heat, but also to cook. Fortunately, the summer season is characterized by a wide variety of products, with which you can prepare not only simple dishes, but also tasty and complete ones.”
What we will tell you about:
How to eat in summer?
Eating healthy in the summer will help you avoid dehydration, exacerbation of chronic diseases and make it easier to cope with the heat. To do this, follow a few rules.
Follow drinking regimen
In hot weather, we sweat more, so we replenish the fluid deficit in a timely manner. There is no one-size-fits-all norm, but you can focus on the value of 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight for basic fluid supply. On hot days, increase the amount by 0.5-1 litre. For example, a person weighing 55 kg needs to drink 1650 ml of water, and in summer – up to 2650 ml.
Photo: istockphoto.com/amenic181
Carry a bottle of water with you, drink it regularly throughout the day, and try to avoid getting too thirsty. Reduce the amount of alcohol, sugary carbonated drinks and coffee – they do not quench thirst, but instead increase dehydration.
Don’t overload your digestive system
In summer, the abundance of food often causes disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT): heaviness, bloating, heartburn and nausea. Remember moderation: eat light and nutritious foods in small portions.
Increase the amount of plant foods in your diet, reducing the consumption of animal products to two or three times a week. Cooking in the summer can be a fun activity, because the variety of products gives you the opportunity to experiment and discover new flavor combinations.
We have compiled a selection of recipes for healthy and refreshing dishes if you are already tired of okroshka and want something unusual.
Light and refreshing salads
The abundance of juicy and fresh vegetables makes salads the most popular dish in the summer season.
Tuna and avocado salad
Ingredients:
canned tuna – 200 g; mixed green leafy vegetables – 100 g; avocado – 1 pc; cucumber – 1 pc; tomato – 1/2 pc;
Photo: istockphoto.com/SolStock
To refuel:
Apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp. l.; a pinch of Himalayan salt; pepper to taste; mustard – 1 tbsp. l.; olive oil – 3 tbsp. l.
Preparation:
Chop the vegetables and herbs. Mix the ingredients for the dressing. Place the tuna, vegetables, herbs and dressing in a salad bowl and toss together.
Kale Salad
Ingredients for three servings:
seaweed – 300 g; squid fillet – 200 g; pumpkin pulp – 100 g; cucumber – 100 g; l.; salt, pepper, ground garlic to taste.
Photo: istockphoto.com/MiMaLeFi
Preparation:
1. Cut the squid into rings and place them in a pan of boiling water. Cook for 2.5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Remove the squid from the water; do not drain the water from the pan.
2. Cut the cucumber and pumpkin into thin strips.
3. Place the pumpkin in the pan where the squid was cooked, cook for four minutes, then drain in a colander and let cool.
4. Combine the seaweed, squash, cucumber and squid in a salad bowl.
5. Sprinkle the salad with spices to taste, season with oil and toss.
salad dressings
Dressings transform and enhance the flavor of herbs and vegetables, making the dish richer and spicier.
Dressing with orange oil and walnuts
Ingredients:
freshly squeezed orange juice – 100 ml; apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp. l.; walnut oil – 2 tbsp. l.; a pinch of salt and black pepper; 1 tsp.
Mix well all the ingredients.
Dressing with linseed oil and spices.
Ingredients:
a chopped garlic clove; Provencal herbs – 1/2 tsp; ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp; lemon juice – 3 tbsp. l.; unrefined linseed oil – 5 tbsp. l.; salt – 1/4 tsp.
Mix all the ingredients and let it rest for five minutes.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Imgorthand
Dijon mustard dressing
Ingredients:
olive oil – 2.5 tbsp. l; lemon slice (juice and zest); Dijon mustard – 1/2 tsp; Himalayan salt, black pepper, nutmeg and ground garlic to taste.
Grate the zest from a lemon slice and place it in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the slice into it. Add olive oil, mustard, spices to taste and stir.
Fruit and berry appetizers and desserts.
Ripe fruits will not only be a source of essential nutrients, but will also be a healthy alternative to sweets.
apricot jelly
Ingredients:
apricot – 300 g; gelatin – 20 g; Jerusalem artichoke syrup to taste, ground cinnamon – 5 g star anise – 5 g water.
Photo: istockphoto.com/HMVart
Preparation:
Combine gelatin with water and let sit for 10 minutes. Peel the apricot, blend in a blender until smooth with the Jerusalem artichoke, cinnamon and star anise. Pour into molds and refrigerate for two hours.
Blackcurrant sorbet with cinnamon
Ingredients:
black currants – 200-300 g; fresh mint leaves to taste; hemp seeds for decoration;
Preparation:
Soak the currant berries for 30 minutes, remove the stems on both sides and place in the freezer for 40-60 minutes. Grind the frozen berries, cinnamon and mint leaves in a blender (depending on consistency), another 15 can be added -Place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Before serving, garnish with crushed hemp seeds.
Bowls
They are called designer dishes because a balanced set of products is brought together in a single meal. The ingredients with essential nutrients are arranged in layers on a small plate.
The bowls are distinguished not only by their usefulness, but also by their attractive appearance, which increases appetite and the production of pleasure hormones.
Photo: istockphoto.com/alvarez
Plus, the bowls are very colorful and contain a veritable rainbow in one bowl. Colored nutrition provides the body with a full range of vitamins and minerals, because each color is associated with a specific phytonutrient.
Chickpea and Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients:
chicken breast – 300 g; avocado – 1 pc.; a small handful of pine nuts; olive oil – 2 tbsp. l; quinoa – 100 g; radish – 1 pc.; cherry tomatoes – 2 pcs.; spinach, parsley to taste;
Preparation:
Place the chicken breast and quinoa in separate bowls to cook. Transfer the chicken breast to a deep bowl. Arrange the spinach, radishes and quinoa in a circle on a shallow plate. Peel and pit the avocado, cut into thin slices. Halve the tomatoes, slice the cucumber. Arrange the vegetables around the plate as well. Place the chickpeas on top of the spinach. Lightly drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and quinoa, add the pine nuts, season with sea salt and add a pinch of paprika.
Sweet Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients:
Banana – 1 pc; frozen strawberries – 100 g; frozen blackcurrants – 100 g; coconut milk – 200 ml; fresh fruits, berries and mint sprigs for decoration.
Photo: istockphoto.com/bymuratdeniz
Cooking method:
Freeze a peeled banana, cut into small pieces. Blend the frozen banana, strawberries, currants and coconut milk until smooth. Transfer the smoothie to a plate, sprinkle with granola, garnish with mint, fresh fruits and berries (blueberries, cranberries, mango).
cold soups
Okroshka has worthy and useful competitors.
Beet root
Ingredients:
beets – 2 pcs.; cucumbers – 2 pcs.; eggs – 2 pcs.; kefir – 2 cups sour cream l.; salt, dill, green onions to taste.
Preparation:
Boil the beets, adding a little lemon juice to the water – this way the color will remain saturated. Boil the eggs. Peel the beets and eggs. Grate the beets, egg whites and cucumbers on a coarse grater. Using a fork, mix with sour cream until smooth. Chop the onion and dill. Mix the ingredients: greens, cucumbers, eggs, beets, sour cream and yolk. Pour kefir over the ingredients and let it brew for about 20-25 minutes. with half an egg and herbs.
tomato gazpacho
Ingredients:
large tomatoes – 2 pcs.; sweet pepper – 1 pc.; garlic – 3 cloves; 2 sprigs of mint – 2-3 sprigs of olive oil; l.; balsamic vinegar – 2 tbsp. l.; salt and pepper to taste.
Photo: istockphoto.com/invizbk
Cooking method:
Peel the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for one to two minutes. Cut the tomatoes and sweet peppers into small pieces. Wash the mint and parsley. Blend the tomatoes, peppers, mint, parsley, garlic, pepper, salt and olive oil. Place the soup in the refrigerator for several hours. Add balsamic vinegar before serving.
Main courses
These recipes are great for something a little more substantial, as well as for barbecues and picnics.
Baked pollock on a bed of vegetables
Ingredients (for three servings):
pollock – 500 g; small carrots – 3 pcs.; onion – 1 pc.; zucchini – 500 g; tomato – 250 g; l; lemon juice – 2 tsp; basil, thyme, ground garlic, salt, pepper to taste.
Read also:
Very tasty steamed fish and green beans with garlic. Step-by-step recipe from the chef.
Preparation:
1. Melt the butter.
2. Cut the fish into portions and marinate in lemon juice, spices and 1 tsp. oils. Cut the vegetables into slices, brush with 1 tsp. oil and spices to taste.
3. Place baking paper on a baking tray, arrange the vegetables in layers and place the pollock on top. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.
4. Serve, garnished with fresh basil or any other herbs.
Chicken skewers with green sauce
Ingredients:
chicken breast, cut into 2.5 cm pieces – 1 kg ghee + additionally for greasing the grill – 1 tbsp. l .; olive oil – 3 tbsp. l .; zest of 1 lemon + 2 tbsp. l. pine nut juice – 1/4 tbsp; fresh basil – 1 large ripe avocado clove – 1 piece bamboo skewers;
Photo: istockphoto.com/miodrag ignjatovic
Preparation:
1. Preheat grill (grill or electric grill) to medium heat.
2. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil. l. and lemon zest, stir, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the pieces of meat on the skewers.
4. For the sauce, puree the pre-soaked walnuts, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender, then add the avocado, lemon juice and 3 tbsp. l. olive oil. Blend everything until smooth.
5. Grill the chicken until cooked through (if you have a grill pan, be sure to turn the skewers).
6. Serve with a spoonful of green sauce and a salad of green leafy vegetables.
Refreshing drinks
Of course, water is the main source of fluid replacement in the body. However, you can use other healthy drinks for variety.
Read also:
What is jamu: An Ayurvedic doctor told how to prepare a healthy drink
Matcha ice with coconut milk
Ingredients:
matcha – 1/4 teaspoon; water 70°C – 100 ml; coconut milk – 50 ml ice – 4-5 cubes.
Preparation:
Pour the matcha into a glass, add hot water and stir for one to two minutes. Separately, whisk the coconut milk (until a light foam forms, pour the milk into the matcha, add ice cubes).
Lemonade with basil and ginger
Ingredients:
lemon – 2 pcs.; green basil – a small bunch; stevia (optional) – 2 tbsp. l; rosemary – 1 sprig; grated ginger – 1/2 tsp. water – 1 l.
Photo: istockphoto.com/fcafotodigital
Preparation:
Remove the zest from the lemons. Squeeze the juice from the lemons, grate the ginger, bring the water to a boil, add the squeezed lemon pulp and a sprig of rosemary, bring to a boil again, turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and ginger, cover with a glass. Cover, add the lemon juice and stevia, let it sit for a while. Strain the lemonade. Add a sprig of rosemary to the strained drink.
Summer is an opportunity to make your diet complete and tasty, despite the heat. Try out recipes and delight yourself and your loved ones with interesting flavour combinations.
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