Sizzle up your summer vacation with healthy, fresh and fast meals

Time seems to slow down in the summer, and we all feel more relaxed and happy. It’s a great opportunity to experiment with new and refreshing recipes. Scorching temperatures make us crave foods and fruits that cool us down, but we often end up packing the same old stuff for our picnics. Fried chicken, potato and pasta salad, French fries and snack foods can make us feel heavy and thirsty in the blazing heat. Let’s go beyond the mundane salads and try these healthy, fresh and easy hot weather recipes.

Dishes

• Legume salad: Using canned and cooked legumes saves time in the kitchen. Simply rinse and drain these high-quality processed, then pair with your favorite vegetables for a delicious and satisfying meal.
• Besides gazpacho and salmorejo (a purée of tomato and bread), you can also enjoy chilled soups made from puréed potatoes and leeks, zucchinis or avocados. Another option is watermelon or cherry gazpacho, although these fruits might be a bit pricier this year due to the smaller harvests.
• Peppers stuffed with quinoa and zucchini, or a protein like chicken. If you’re more adventurous, try stuffing the peppers with tofu, but use a marinated variety since it can be quite bland.
• Instead of fried chicken, try falafel, a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter made from ground chickpeas. This is another way of eating legumes that kids actually like!
• Swap sandwiches for whole wheat pita pockets stuffed with guacamole, tomato, arugula, shredded carrots, onion, and chicken fingers (or seitan for a vegetarian option).

Appetizers

• Hummus is a chickpea paste that can be made at home or purchased from supermarkets. Choose one made with olive oil and enjoy it with raw vegetables like carrots, celery, peppers or zucchini sticks. You can also have it with whole wheat bread or crackers.
• Lupins are an almost forgotten legume that have been eclipsed by the ever-popular edamame. Lupins have a unique combination of high protein, high fiber, low oil and virtually no starch.
• Pickled cucumbers, carrots, cabbage and many other vegetables are good sources of probiotics that improve our gut health at an affordable price.
• Olives — we sometimes forget about olives or stop eating them because they’re considered to be high in calories.
• Kabobs of cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, tofu and other firm veggies spiced with basil.
• Vegetable chips: cut thin slices of carrots, zucchini, sweet potato and other root vegetables. Dip them in olive oil and sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper to taste, then bake them in an oven or air fryer until they’re crunchy.

Beverages

• Add flavor to your water with your favorite fruits. You can find water bottles and pitchers with infusers to hold the fruit without it decomposing in the water.
• Sparkling water with a slice of lemon or some mint leaves is very refreshing.
• Iced tea or coffee.
• Smoothies made from all your favorite fruits and vegetables.

I hope this inspires you to get creative with summer picnics that are both refreshing and exciting. Now is the perfect time to try new dishes and broaden your tastes to fully enjoy the summer season.

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