It is still summertime and everyone wants to make the most of it! The sunny, warm season means eating and cooking outdoors. Here are some tips for healthy summer eating.
Keep vegetables and fruit as the main focus on your plate:
- Fill half your plate with vegetables, fruit or a green salad. Use plain yogurt, lemon juice, herbs and spices to make delicious dips and dressings.
- Try cooking vegetables such as eggplant or cabbage wedges on the barbeque grill. Create colourful vegetable kabobs using bell pepper, corn, onion, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.
- Cook a potato, yam or cob or corn wrapped in aluminum foil on the barbecue.
When choosing meat, fish or tofu to grill:
- Look for lean cuts or poultry without skin
- Use a marinade
- Cook meat on foil or a grill pan
- Cook at a lower temperature and trim charred pieces of meat
- Choose fish and shellfish more often; you can grill a whole salmon filet on a cedar plank or wrapped in aluminum foil with herbs and spices
- Marinate tofu cubes and grill them on a skewer with vegetable pieces
To quench thirst in a healthy way:
- Flavour water with lemon or orange wedges, mint leaves, fresh rosemary or frozen berries. Make flavoured ice cubes by putting a berry in each cube of an ice cube tray and filling it with water.
- Try making fizzy drinks with carbonated water, a splash of 100% fruit juice and frozen fruit.
Include refreshing summer desserts:
- Take advantage of what summer has to offer by choosing seasonal fruit.
- Grilled peaches, pineapple or plums with a dollop of Greek yogurt are a tasty dessert.
- Try homemade frozen desserts by freezing your favourite smoothie recipe in a popsicle tray or small cups with a popsicle stick in the middle.
For a healthier approach, continuously turn foods over while barbequing and do not overcook.
