7 Healthy Summer Foods to Add to Your Diet (And Recipes for Them!)

Looking to maintain your figure this summer while having fun? Don’t feel awkward about it — every year, around 45 million Americans go on a diet. While it’s true that keeping your figure is difficult, you can always make it fun and easy with new discoveries.

The key is to stay curious about the healthy foods you eat. Wonder how each recipe is going to taste even if the ingredients are the same. Below is a list of the best summer foods you can cook up at home.

1. Eggplant Fries

Let’s begin our healthy summer foods list with an easy recipe. Potatoes aren’t the only vegetable you can turn into fries. Eggplants are a close cousin of potatoes, making them a healthy alternative for fries.

Heat the oven to 425’ F and prepare the baking sheet. Prepare your unpeeled eggplant fries by cutting them into uniform shapes. Season the sticks with salt as you toss them in a bowl.

Coat your fries into egg white. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a resealable bag then place your coated eggplants in. Shake the bag to get even coating onto the fries.

Remove your eggplant fries from the bag and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and roast for 15 minutes. Flip them every 5 minutes until crisp and golden-brown.

For the dip, get 1 cup of Greek yogurt into a bowl. Mix garlic powder, dried parsley, dried them, kosher salt, and ground pepper. Use ½ tsp. for each of the spices.

2. Thai Chicken and Watermelon Salad

If you’re a fan of Thai food, this combination of summertime foods should be a great recipe to add to your summer diet.

Combine 2 minced lemongrass stalks, ¼ cup vegetable oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add 1 ½ pound of butterflied chicken breast halves and marinate for 30 minutes. Make sure it’s skinless and boneless.

Grill the chicken over high heat, turning once till cooked through. This should take about 6 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes and then cut into ½-inch dice.

Grab 2 Thai chiles and 2 garlic cloves, each cut in thin slices. Prepare 2 tbsp. brown sugar, 2 tbsp. lime juice, 3 tbsp. Asian fish sauce, and 2 tbsp. water. Pour these foods in a mini food processor until the chiles and garlic get chopped well.

Pour this dressing over the chicken. Cut 2 ½ pounds of seedless watermelons in various ball sizes then prepare ¼ cup each of chopped mint and cilantro. Stir them into the salad and serve.  You can also find out similar healthy recipes at Get Leaner Today

3. Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon

Find confidence in joining the next neighborhood grill party with this healthy recipe.

The first thing you need is to preheat a grill on medium high. Grab 2 tbsp. of hot sauce, 1 tbsp. of brown sugar, 1 tsp. of smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper. Mix these ingredients in a small bowl then transfer 1 tbsp. of the mixture into a large bowl.

Whisk this with 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise as you set aside the rest of the sauce. Add 1 tbsp. snipped chives, thin half-moon slices of 8 celery stalks, and thin slices of ½ small, red onion to the mayonnaise bowl. Toss well.

Sprinkle salt and ground pepper onto four 5-ounces, 1-inch thick salmon fillets. The fillet should be center-cut and skin-on. Lay fillets on oiled grill, skin-side up until grill marks appear and releases with ease from the grill.

Turn and brush the fish with the reserved sauce until cooked through. Brush them every few minutes with the sauce. Transfer and serve with the celery slaw.

4. Muesli and Raspberries Make Awesome Summer Foods

Haven’t got much time to prep food? Try this 5-minute snack or breakfast food for healthy nutrition. All you need is 1/3 cup of muesli, 1 cupful of raspberries, and ¾ cup low-fat milk.

Put muesli in a bowl and top with raspberries. Add milk and serve for a high-fiber, soy-free snack. This diet food is rich in vitamin C and calcium.

5. Homemade Orange Sherbet

When it comes to summer comfort foods, nothing is better than creamy orange sherbet. Homemade ice cream turns healthy. For this, chill an ice cream bowl.

Blend 1 ½ cups orange juice, 1 cup half-and-half, and ½ cup buttermilk. Don’t’ forget to add ½ sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Transfer the base to an airtight container. You can choose to churn it right away. You can also choose to refrigerate it overnight for more flavor.

Churn the base until thickened. After that, transfer to a freezer container. Wrap with wax paper or parchment to prevent ice crystals from forming and leave the sherbet in the fridge for 2 hours.

6. Crispy Fish Sandwich with Herb Remoulade

For a taste of the sea, try this classic fried fish sandwich.

Heat canola oil in a small skillet, then add 1 cup of panko crumbs over low heat. Keep stirring until they’re golden. Stir 1 tsp. of Old Bay seasoning and then transfer toasted crumbs to a plate.

Whisk ¼ cup fromage blanc in a bowl with 1 tbsp. mustard, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, and ½ tsp. of Tobasco. Also, add 3 tbsp. chopped cornichons, 1 tbsp. finely-chopped parsley, and 2 tbsp. finely-chopped tarragon. Season the remoulade with salt and ground pepper.

Grill 4 split kaiser rolls until somewhat toasted. Next, transfer them to plates and spread with remoulade. Go back to your grill with the fish, seasoned with salt and pepper.

Use moderate heat and turn the fish once until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and then press into the panko and toasted roll. Top the lettuce with tomato and serve.

7. Peach Iced Tea

Of course, our top summer foods wouldn’t be complete without drinks to wash down the food. Instead of reaching for the soda, make your own iced tea at home. Grab 6 black tea bags, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, and 2 ripe peaches cut into chunks.

Put your peaches as well as the mint in a big pitcher.  Muddle the peaches using a wooden spoon till they’re broken down. Add the tea bags and after that, add 6 cups of boiling water.

Let steep for 20 minutes before you pull out the tea bags. Refrigerate the tea until it’s cold or fill your glasses with ice before the iced tea. If you want, garnish with mint.

Eat Healthy This Summer!

Those are our top 7 summer foods to make this 2019. Feel free to embrace the grill this season because it’s going to be your new best friend. Eating lots of fresh produce will for sure keep your energy up as you travel, swim, and/or hike.

Do you want more guides on how you can stay fit and healthy? Looking for more content on healthy foods? Check out our page for more lists and guides like this.