Liven up your summer cooking routine by adding a few healthy, fresh ingredients to your summer meals. These tasty summer mix-ins elevate the typical summer fare.
Dips
Add avocado! Whether you’re making a creamy yogurt dip to go with fresh veggies or you’re whipping up a batch of garden salsa, add avocado. Avocados provide fiber, potassium, folic acid and vitamins C, K and B. Plus, avocados add a rich, creamy flavor to any dish.
Drinks
Pour seltzer water into a crisp white wine to create a fresh, fizzy summer drink. If you’re serving champagne — perfect for a warm weather brunch — decant the champagne into a pitcher and add fresh berries. Bright red raspberries go perfectly with pink champagne or try black raspberries in a sparkling wine. For the younger crowd, mix berries in with sparkling water.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the perfect meal for mixing in summer fruit. For example, jazz up your oatmeal with a handful of fresh berries or dried fruits and nuts. Mix fresh fruits, like blueberries or sliced strawberries, into your pancake batter. Or whip up a berry compote to replace your standard syrup on waffles.
Entrees
Switch from beef or chicken to fish and you’ll discover an array of tasty summer mix-ins that go perfectly with grilled fish. Instead of lemon juice, try a citrus blend topping with slices of orange instead. For a sweeter variety, top a light piece of fish with a fresh mango chutney. Fish is already a healthy protein, but you can improve upon its health benefits by adding fruit toppings.
If you’re grilling burgers, consider switching to turkey or portobello burgers for a healthier alternative. Regardless of which type of meat you choose, mix in fresh, novel toppings to make your burgers more exciting. For example, sliced avocado, corn and crumbled feta make unexpected, nutritious toppings.
Sides
Mix quinoa into your favorite summertime sides. The nutritious grain is good in cold or hot dishes and can replace the rice, potatoes or pasta called for in other dishes. Mix quinoa into ground turkey to make healthy burgers. Sprinkle it over salads to add a nutty flavor.
Watch: How to cut a mango.
Related articles
Dip or dollop? Tips for adding dips to your favorite dishes
Quinoa recipes: Gluten-free and easy
Healthy ingredient substitutions for family meals
More Stories from Health & Wellness
Leave a Comment