The Best Summertime Recipes and Detoxes
In my last blog I gave some tips on clean eating and how to stay healthy. In my blog today I’m going to give some of my favorite and easy summer recipes, as well as a few detox drinks I make almost every day! If you read my last blog you will remember how much I stressed not skipping meals. These recipes are just a few of my favorites that are generally easy to make and taste amazing. I also said that meal prepping isn’t always the best answer and not something I like to do anymore, but with some of these recipes I will have leftovers and make bigger batches for those days I am super busy. This way I don’t have an excuse to skip a meal.
Summer fruit salad with lime-mint dressing
Prep Time
5 minutes
Total Time
5 minutes
Summer fruit salad packed with juicy, ripe and colorful fruit dressed in a zingy lime-mint dressing makes the perfect easy, healthy breakfast.
Ingredients:
• 1 large pineapple peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
• 2 ripe mangoes peeled and chopped
• 2 cups grapes sliced, if preferred
• 2 cups strawberries hulled and halved
• 2 cups raspberries
• 3 kiwi fruit peeled and chopped
• 2 bananas sliced
For the lime-mint dressing:
• juice of 1 orange
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon mint finely chopped
• ½-1 teaspoon honey optional
Instructions:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add the banana just before serving to prevent browning.
2. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour over the salad just before serving.
The lime-mint fruit salad dressing adds just the right amount of zing to the sweet, juicy fruit and the mint adds a little added fragrance. I combined the lime juice with the juice of 1 orange but you could use apple juice, passion fruit juice or grape juice if you prefer. A little drizzle of honey adds sweetness which is totally optional. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert or as is with some Greek yoghurt for a healthy breakfast. I made this last weekend for my families weekend trip up north!
Smokey Black-Eyes Pea Hummus
I like to use pretzels and veggies to eat with my hummus, makes for a yummy and healthy summer time snack. Prep time:
10 minutes
Total time:
10 minutes
Ingredients:
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 (15.8-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 jalapeño, roasted*
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic, lemon juice and tahini. Blend on high until smooth, for about 10 seconds.
Using your fingers, rub the outer layer of charred skin off of the jalapeño. Remove the stem and seeds then roughly chop and add to the bowl of the food processor.
Add the drained and rinsed black eyed peas, cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Blend on high until smooth, for about 15 seconds. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue to blend for 10 more seconds. Add a tablespoon of water (or more) to thin, as desired, and blend until smooth. Taste test and add more seasoning as as needed.
Serve immediately with vegetables and crackers or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
*to roast the jalapeño, place it on a lined baking sheet and broil in the oven for about 7 minutes, flipping with tongs half way through.
Hummus Pizza with Veggies
If you tried making the hummus above now you can use it to make this delicious recipe. This veggie pizza with spinach, olives, and artichokes is one of my favorites!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the pizza dough:
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 pinch sugar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup lukewarm water
For the toppings:
• 1 cup hummus
• 8-10 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 handful fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts in oil, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
• 1/2 red onion, cut into rings
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
1. First make the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Then add the oil and the lukewarm water. Knead with your hands until you got a smooth dough. Form into a ball and cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Place into a warm room and let it rise for about an hour until it has doubled in size.
2. Move the dough to a flour-dusted surface, divide the dough into two balls, and form it into two pizzas using your hands. Alternatively, you could also make one larger pizza.
3. Evenly spread the pizzas with the hummus and add the pizza toppings on top. Sprinkle with oregano and red pepper flakes. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 °F. The baking time can vary depending on the oven you use.
Farmers Market Veggie Pasta: (My Favorite)
A farmer’s market inspired Veggie Pasta with Grilled Zucchini, Corn, and Black beans- to act as a blueprint for your own creations. A simple healthy meal that can be served warm as a main, then chilled for weekday lunches. Either use the grill or sauté the veggies for faster prep!
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
• 4-6 ounces of pasta – penne, linguini, bow tie- or try GF pasta or Chickpea Pasta! (grain-free)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 fat garlic cloves- rough chopped
• 2 shallots ( or half a red onion) – thinly sliced
• 1 pound zucchini or summer squash ( a mix is nice)
• 1 ear of corn, or sub red bell pepper
• 1 lemon, zest and some juice to taste
• 2-3 cups cooked or canned black beans- or sub any other bean!
• 10 colorful cherry tomatoes, halved
• heaping handful arugula (optional)
• ½ – 1 cup chopped cilantro, Italian parsley or basil
• Optional – crumbled feta or goat cheese, pecorino, capers, Kalamata olives, anchovy paste, pumpkin seeds, chili flakes
Instructions:
1. Set salted pasta water to boil on the stove and cook pasta according to directions on package- remember to save the pasta water.
2. If grilling the veggies, pre-heat grill and see notes.
3. If cooking veggies stove top, slice zucchini into ½ inch thick half moons. Lay corn down on a cutting board and slice the kernels off.
4. Heat oil in an extra large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot and zucchini and sauce for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, lowering heat if garlic starts to get too dark. Once the zucchini has a bit of color, stir in the zest from one lemon. Add the corn, and stir and cover the skillet with a lid and turn heat to low, letting it steam until zucchini is tender. Check after a few minutes, give a quick stir, cover again. Once zucchini is tender add the cooked black beans and let them warm through, adding the salt and pepper.
5. Drain the pasta remembering to SAVAE some salted pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet, along with a few tablespoons of the salted pasta water ( 3-4). Squeeze with a little lemon juice. Stir, taste and adjust salt and lemon. To add more umami flavor ( optional) you could add capers, kalamata olives, ( or a few tablespoons olive tapenade), or shaved pecorino. A little anchovy paste is always an option too- stir a little in the pasta water that you add into the skillet. For heat add chili flakes.
6. Place this in a big bowl and right before serving toss in arugula and fresh herbs. Top with tomato halves. Sprinkle with feta or goat cheese or keep it vegan and lean.
7. If serving this chilled, make sure to re-taste for salt before serving. You will probably need to add more. If it tastes bland, it needs salt, and adding it will bring all the other flavors out.
Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Who doesn’t love cookies? Here is a healthy but delicious “cheat” day snack.
Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients
• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats, more below
• 1 cup gluten free oat flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water, whisked together, set for 15 minutes)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Add-in Ingredients
• ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
• ½ cup gluten free rolled oats
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside for later.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: oats, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients: coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, flax eggs and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined and resembles caramel.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Fold in Add-In ingredients: chocolate chips and oats.
5. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, flatten cookies into a round disc—they will not spread during baking. Optionally, press chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
6. Bake for 8-12 minutes. Using a flat, heatproof spatula, carefully lift cookies off the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.
Lastly, it is very important to stay hydrated, especially over the summer so you don’t get sick or overheat. I try to drink about 64 ounces of water or my detox drinks a day. Drinking water helps you perform better, gives you energy, helps you lose weight, prevents headaches, helps with joint pain and much more.
Detoxing allows us to purge and vibrate higher as a way to recharge, rejuvenate, and renew. It activates wellness and raises our frequency; mind, body and spirit. We come into contact with so many pollutants and toxins in the air and water. I love doing detoxes and making these easy drinks and adding in water in between will give you awesome results. Treat your body like the temple it is by giving it the nutrients it needs and helping to take the bad out.
1. W A T E R M E L O N …..juice is the truth! Simply blend and drink up! No water needed, but optional. Watermelon is a superfood that is epic for detoxing! Which is why I love it. I will often do a 3-day juice fast with just watermelon juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice added to it and plenty of water in between.
2. L E M O N The easiest detox drink is to simply add lemon slices to your water. I often drink lemon water everyday. I keep a container of water in my fridge and put the lemon slices as well as mint leaves sometimes and add that to my water bottle as needed. Lemons are high in antioxidants and help a lot with cleansing the liver.
3. G R E E N T E A Green tea contains polyphenols, which are antioxidants that rid the body of free radicals that can modify, damage, and kill cells, potentially leading to cancer and other diseases. I also love to drink green tea when I’m feeling a little under the weather, the warmth is very soothing.
4. G R E E N J U I C E Doctors agree that kale, broccoli, and spinach are some of the healthiest green vegetables to make green juice with. While this isn’t one of the better tasting detox drinks I make, I definitely feel great after drinking them and my body feels so much more energized and clean.
