What to cook in the heat, except okroshka: 12 summer dishes from a nutritionist

How to eat healthy in the summer?

A healthy summer diet will help you avoid dehydration, exacerbate chronic diseases and make it easier to beat the heat. To do this, follow a few rules.

Observe the drinking regime

In the heat, we sweat more, so make up for the lack of fluid in a timely manner. There is no single norm for everyone, but you can be guided by 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 liter. For example, a person weighing 55 kg should drink 1650 ml of water, and in summer – up to 2650 ml.

• Carry a water bottle with you, drink regularly throughout the day, try to avoid extreme thirst.
• Reduce the amount of alcohol, sweet carbonated drinks and coffee – they do not quench thirst, but on the contrary, increase dehydration.

Do not overload the digestive system

In summer, an abundance of food is more likely to cause gastrointestinal (GI) disorders: heaviness, bloating, heartburn, nausea. Remember moderation – eat light, nutritious foods in small portions.

• Increase the amount of plant-based foods in your diet, reducing animal products to two to 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 useful and refreshing dishes, if you are already bored with okroshka and want something unusual.

Light and refreshing salads

An abundance of juicy greens and fresh vegetables make salads the most popular dish in the summer season.

Tuna and avocado salad

Ingredients:

• canned tuna – 200 g;
• mixed leafy greens – 100 g;
• avocado – 1 pc;
• cucumber – 1 pc;
• tomato – 1 pc;
• red onion – 1/2 pc;
• a bunch of dill or cilantro – 1/2.

For the dressing:

• Apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp;
• pinch of Himalayan salt;
• pepper to taste;
• mustard – 1 tbsp;
• olive oil – 3 tbsp.

Preparation:

1. Chop the vegetables and herbs.
2. Mix the ingredients for the dressing.
3. Place in a salad bowl tuna, vegetables, greens, dressing and mix.

Seaweed salad

Ingredients for three servings:

• sea cabbage – 300 g;
• squid fillet – 200 g;
• pumpkin pulp – 100 g;
• cucumber – 100 g;
• olive oil – 1.5 tbsp;
• salt, pepper, ground garlic to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut the squid into rings and lower into a pot of boiling water. Cook for 2.5 minutes, then remove from heat. Remove the squid from the water, do not drain the water from the pot.

2. Slice the cucumber and pumpkin into thin strips.

3. Drop the pumpkin into the pot where the squid was cooking, cook for four minutes, then drain in a colander and let cool.

4. Combine the seaweed, pumpkin, cucumber and squid in a salad bowl.

5. Sprinkle salad with spices to taste, dress with oil and mix.

Salad dressings

Dressings transform and shade the flavor of greens and vegetables, making the dish more rich and savory.

Dressing with orange and walnut oil

Ingredients:

• freshly squeezed orange juice – 100 ml;
• apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp;
• walnut oil – 2 tbsp;
• pinch of salt and black pepper;
• mustard – 1 tsp.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

Dressing with flaxseed oil and spices

Ingredients:

• crushed garlic clove;
• Provencal herbs – 1/2 tsp;
• ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp;
• lemon juice – 3 tbsp;
• unrefined linseed oil – 5 tbsp;
• salt – 1/4 tsp.

Mix all ingredients, let infuse for five minutes.

Dressing with dijon mustard

Ingredients:

• olive oil – 2.5 tbsp;
• lemon slice (juice and zest);
• dijon mustard – 1/2 tsp.
• Himalayan salt, black pepper, nutmeg, ground garlic to taste.

Grate the zest of one lemon slice and place in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the lemon slice into the bowl. Add olive oil, mustard, spices to taste and mix.

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;
• topinambour syrup to taste,
• ground cinnamon – 5 g;
• ground cardiac – 5 g;
• water – 100 ml.

Preparation:

1. Combine gelatin with water and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Peel the apricots, chop in a blender to a homogeneous mass with topinambour, cinnamon and badian.
3. Pour into molds and put in the refrigerator for two hours.

Blackcurrant sorbet with cinnamon

Ingredients:

• black currants – 200-300 g;
• fresh mint leaves to taste;
• hemp seeds for decoration;
• a pinch of cinnamon.

Preparation:

1. Pre-soak the currants berries for 30 minutes, peel them from the tails on both sides.
2. Place in the freezer for 40-60 minutes.
3. Chop the frozen berries, cinnamon and mint leaves with a blender.
4. Divide the resulting mass into portions.
5. If desired (according to the consistency), you can put it in the freezer for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Before serving, garnish with crushed hemp seeds.

Bowls

These are called build-your-own dishes because they bring together a balanced array of foods in one meal. In a small plate, ingredients with essential nutrients are arranged in layers.

Bowls are characterized not only by their healthfulness, but also by their attractive appearance, which increases appetite and the production of pleasure hormones.

In addition, bowls are very colorful and bring together a veritable rainbow in one plate. Colorful meals provide the body with a full range of vitamins and minerals, because each color is associated with a specific phytonutrient.

Bowl with chickpeas and quinoa

Ingredients:

• chicken breast – 300 g;
• avocado – 1 pc;
• a small handful of pine nuts;
• olive oil – 2 tbsp;
• quinoa – 100 g;
• radish – 1 pc;
• cherry tomato – 2 pcs;
• spinach, parsley to taste;
• sea salt, paprika to taste.

Preparation:

1. Put the chicken breast and quinoa to boil in separate containers.
2. Transfer the chicken breast to a deep bowl.
3. Arrange the spinach, radishes and quinoa in a circle on a shallow plate.
4. Peel and pit the avocado and slice thinly.
5. Cut cherry tomatoes in half, cucumber – in circles.
6. Also arrange the vegetables around the plate. Place the chickpeas on top of the spinach.
7. Lightly drizzle the vegetables and quinoa with olive oil, add the pine nuts, salt with sea salt and add a pinch of paprika.
8. Sprinkle with parsley leaves.

Sweet Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients:

• banana – 1 pc;
• frozen strawberries – 100 g;
• frozen black currants – 100 g;
• coconut milk – 200 ml;
• granola – 100 g;
• fresh fruit, berries, sprigs of mint for decoration.

Cooking method:

1. Freeze peeled, cut into small pieces banana.
2. Blend frozen banana, strawberries, currants and coconut milk until smooth.
3. Transfer the smoothie to a plate, sprinkle with granola, garnish with mint, fresh fruit and berries (blueberries, blueberries, mango).

Cold soups

Okroshka has worthy and useful competitors.

Beet

Ingredients:

• beets – 2 pcs;
• cucumbers – 2 pcs;
• eggs – 2 pcs;
• kefir – 2 cups;
• sour cream – 4 tbsp;
• salt, dill, green onions to taste.

Preparation:

1. Boil beets, adding a little lemon juice to the water – so the color will remain saturated.
2. Boil the eggs.
3. Peel the cooked beets and eggs.
4. Grate the beets, egg white and cucumbers on a coarse grater.
5. Rub the yolk with a fork, mix with sour cream to a homogeneous mass.
6. Chop the onion and dill.
7. Mix the products among themselves – greens, cucumbers, eggs, beets, sour cream and yolk.
8. Pour the ingredients with kefir and let stand for about 20-25 minutes.
9. Decorate with half an egg and greens.

Tomato gazpacho

Ingredients:

• large tomatoes – 2 pcs;
• sweet pepper – 1 pc;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• parsley – 2 sprigs;
• mint – 2-3 sprigs;
• olive oil – 2 tablespoons;
• balsamic vinegar – 2 tablespoons;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the tomatoes from their skins by dropping them into boiling water for one to two minutes.
2. Cut the tomatoes and sweet peppers into small pieces.
3. Wash the mint and parsley.
4. Blend the tomatoes, peppers, mint, parsley, garlic, pepper, salt and olive oil in a blender.
5. Place the soup in the refrigerator for several hours.
6. Just before serving, add the balsamic vinegar.

Main courses

These recipes will come in handy if you want something heartier, 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;
• ghee or coconut oil – 1 tbsp;
• lemon juice – 2 tsp;
• basil, thyme, ground garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter.

2. Cut fish into portioned pieces and marinate in lemon juice, spices and 1 tsp. oil. Cut the vegetables into circles, drizzle with 1 tsp. oil and spices to taste

3 Place baking paper on a baking tray, arrange the vegetables in layers and put the pollock on top. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.

4. Serve garnished with fresh basil or any other herbs.

Chicken kebab with green sauce

Ingredients:

• chicken breast cut into 2.5 cm pieces – 1 kg;
• ghee oil + additionally for greasing the grill grates – 1 tbsp;
• olive oil – 3 tbsp;
• zest of 1 lemon + 2 tbsp. juice;
• pine nuts – 1/4 tbsp;
• fresh basil;
• crushed garlic – 1 clove;
• large ripe avocado – 1 pc;
• 15 cm bamboo skewers – 12 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Heat a grill (grill pan or electric grill) to medium heat.

2. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil and lemon zest, stir, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Thread pieces of meat onto skewers.

4. For the sauce, beat in a blender pre-soaked nuts, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper, then add avocado, lemon juice and 3 tbsp. olive oil. Grind everything until smooth.

5. Grill the chicken until cooked through (if you have a grill pan, be sure to flip the skewers).

6. Serve with a spoonful of green sauce and a salad of leafy greens.

Beverages to cool you down

Of course, water is the main source of replenishing fluids in the body. However, you can use other healthy drinks for a change.

Ice matcha on coconut milk

Ingredients:

• matcha – 1/4 tsp;
• 70°C water – 100 ml;
• coconut milk – 50 ml;
• ice – 4-5 cubes.

Preparation:

1. Pour the matcha into a glass, pour hot water and stir for one or two minutes.
2. Separately whisk the coconut milk (until a light foam is formed).
3. Pour the milk into the matcha, add ice cubes.

Lemonade with basil and ginger

Ingredients:

• lemon – 2 pcs;
• green basil – a small bundle;
• stevia (optional) – 2 tbsp;
• rosemary – 1 sprig;
• grated ginger -1/2 tsp;
• water – 1 liter.

Preparation:

1. Remove the zest from the lemons. Squeeze the juice from the lemons.
2. Grate ginger.
3. Bring the water to a boil, add the lemon juice and a sprig of rosemary, bring to a boil again.
4. Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and ginger and cover.
5. Cool, add the lemon juice and stevia, let infuse for a while.
6. Strain the lemonade. Add a sprig of rosemary to the strained drink.

Summer is an opportunity to make your diet full and rich, despite the heat. Test recipes and enjoy interesting flavor combinations for yourself and your loved ones.