Your Favorite Lite Summer Foods/ Recipes

[Cachoo]

I'm not necessarily looking for only "so many" calories in a dish: My question is do you have a recipe for a dish that is low calorie OR has been "slimmed" down that you use regularly? Or is there something on the market you buy that you find tasty AND healthy? I eat meat though I have made more of an effort to use other proteins. And I know I need to eat more fruit and even more vegies (good about fruit...so-so with vegies.) I really want to enjoy the summer bounty without adding weight. Thanks for any ideas.

[emason]

I have an easy shrimp salad recipe. You need cooked cut up shrimp, chopped celery, diced green pepper, grapefruit sections (I prefer white grapefruit but will use whatever is in the store), and lemon juice. No proportions really, just whatever amounts you want of everything and then the lemon juice to taste. If you want to be fancy, you can really clean out the grapefruit shells and mound the salad back in to serve as a pretty luncheon dish.

There is good protein from the shrimp, lots of fiber and vitamins and minerals from everything else and no fatty mayo. Works for me.

[pingu]

I love eating bresaola with parmigiano (with olive oil and lots of lemon juice on it). You prepare it in 30 seconds, it's delicious and low calorie

[Garden Kitty]

One of my favorite summer recipes is a salad that includes grilled chicken, cranberries, sliced pears and feta cheese on a bed of mixed greens.

[Prancer]

We eat a lot of salads with meat, fruit or veggies on them.

Some examples:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/C...ack-Bean-Salad
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Savory-Steak-Salad
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Veggie-Steak-Salad

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/F...hicken-Salad-2
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/G...ry-Vinaigrette
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Chicken-Berry-Salad

When we get tired of lettuce, there are plenty of other salads to try. But since we all like lettuce and spinach, we usually eat a lot of those.

[Artemis@BC]

My three summer faves are quinoa salad, yam salad, and watermelon salad.

For quinoa salad, the base is chilled cooked quinoa, and then I'll use either Italian/Greek seasonings or Moroccan. For Italian/Greek, add chopped cuke, tomato, chick peas, red peppers, green onion, just a little crumbled feta, and an oil & vinegar dressing with lots of pepper and oregano. For Moraccan, add chickpeas, raisins, slivered almonds, tomato, lemon zest, parsley, mint, and some cumin & cinnamon in the dressing. Cubed cooked eggplant is a nice addition to either version. Quinoa is a superfood in my view: filling, high in fibre and protein, low in calories, and oh so versatile.

For yam salad: cubes of yam, cooked and cooled (grilled is esp. nice), tossed with caramalized onions, sundried tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese, toasted almonds or pine nuts, basil, pepper, and oil & balsamic.

Watermelon salad isn't quite as filling, you'll want something to go with it to make it a meal. Cubes of watermelon, fresh mint, white balsamic vinegar (you can use black balsamic but the white looks nicer), and toasted walnuts. The "original" recipe has crumbled feta too which of adds protein, but I don't find it necessary -- and of course it also adds fat and salt.

[Jenny]

Can't say enough about this salad: Santa Fe Quinoa Salad

[Allskate]

I have an easy shrimp salad recipe. You need cooked cut up shrimp, chopped celery, diced green pepper, grapefruit sections (I prefer white grapefruit but will use whatever is in the store), and lemon juice. No proportions really, just whatever amounts you want of everything and then the lemon juice to taste. If you want to be fancy, you can really clean out the grapefruit shells and mound the salad back in to serve as a pretty luncheon dish.

I'm not a grapefruit fan, but I'll bet this would be good with mandarins, too. I just saw salad shrimp on sale and was debating whether to get some. I think I'll try this recipe.

I was really tired last night and wanted something cold for dinner. So, I put some small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and black olives. You just have to toss them with a vinagrette. (Or, if you're as lazy as I am, just use marinated artichoke hearts -- TJ's has them cheap).

Strawberries are now in season here. I'm tempted to just have strawberries and yogurt for dinner tonight. But, I still have some of the mozzarella salad left.

[Aceon6]

We had a nice shrimp salad last night. Salad greens, grilled zucchini, snow peas, red pepper and a bunch of other stuff I had on hand, topped with grilled shrimp with cajun seasoning.

Our other go to dishes are sushi, mozzarella salad, grilled chicken with almost anything, and fruit salads.

[Cachoo]

Thank you so much: I am seeing combinations that never occurred to me and foods I've never tried but I know I can find easily. Honestly I've never had quinoa for example: The Moraccan version is making my mouth water just reading it. And the blueberry vinaigrette (on the chicken salad)--yum. One good thing is we've gone to having our heavier meal at lunch and trying to lighten up for supper.

[emason]

I'm not a grapefruit fan, but I'll bet this would be good with mandarins, too. I just saw salad shrimp on sale and was debating whether to get some. I think I'll try this recipe.

Mandarins - what a good idea; I may try it this way next time. They also would bring some color appeal to the salad and we do eat with our eyes first. I've been thinking of trying red bell pepper instead of green to bring in some color to the salad.

[michiruwater]

One of my favorite summer breakfasts is to take whole wheat couscous and cook it in apple juice. Let it cool and then fluff it, and then add raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries (or any combination thereof). Top with a dollop of greek yogurt (sometimes I leave this out), honey, and some fresh mint leaves if you have them. Also good with some orange zest. I'm sure there are lots of different ways you can change this, using different juices, fruits, maybe some nuts. It's delicious, filling, filled with a lot of amazing nutritional whatnots, and totally delicious.

[Allen]

I'm also a fan of the watermelon salad, but I do it a little differently than Artemis. I cut watermelon in to rectangles. Then I slice a thin piece of feta on top of the watermelon and top that with extremely thin slices of red onion and mint. I think swirl a little balsamic vinaigrette on the plate.

I love Giada de Laurentis's orzo stuff peppers recipe.

I also like Heidi Swanson's Orzo Salad recipe.

I shared this one for Saffron Pasta Salad in the vegetarian thread, but it's a great summer recipe;

I get this Sesame Noodle Salad at Whole Foods. This is the recipe they posted, which is a little different than what I get in the stores. I leave out the cabbage and peas. I love it served cold.

[Allskate]

Mandarins - what a good idea; I may try it this way next time. They also would bring some color appeal to the salad and we do eat with out eyes first. I've been thinking of trying red bell pepper instead of green to bring in some color to the salad.

Great idea! Red bell peppers are one of my favorite things. I can't eat wheat and often use large strips of bell peppers in place of crackers to eat with goat cheese.

I also sometimes include roasted red peppers in antipasta salads.

[BigB08822]

In the summer I love to add avocados to my salads. Delicious and a healthy fat plus they are in season right now and much better priced.

[Gypsy]

One of our favorites is a Marinated Vegetable Salad
You cut all of these items very small:
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Fresh Mushrooms
Carrots
Celery
Green Pepper
Tomato (remove the seeds)
Green Onion
Good Seasons Italian Dressing (can be made low fat if you wish, but does need a some oil to help coat the vegetables)
I have also used bottled Italian dressing too!
Marinate overnight (mixing occasionally)
(We use a Tupperware marinater, so we just have to shake it and turn over)

[Stefanie]

I love to eat caprese pasta salad. And I also make a "Summer Stir Fry" with shrimp, zucchini, corn, and grape tomatoes.

ETA: I also love strawberry-spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette. Both recipes I obtained from our very own Prancer.

[Cupid]

I love Caprese Salad with fresh beefsteak tomato slices, buffalo mozzarella, olive oil, a splash of balsamic, sprinkled with chopped fresh basil and a bit of salt and pepper. I could make a meal out of that!

I also do a lot of fresh, green salads topped with fresh chopped fruit such as pineapple, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, etc., whatever looks great at the supermarket/farmer's market and then top that with a piece of grilled chicken breast or fish and drizzled with a homemade dressing or a raspberry vinagrette.

Favorite pasta dish is fresh cooked linquine topped with chopped fresh pear tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil. Actually, you cook the linquine then immediately after it's drained, you dump the whole think on top of the tomato mixture and it slightly cooks the tomatoes. It's to die for.