3 Healthy Recipes For Summertime Weight Loss

Lately I’ve been getting requests for healthy and quick summer time recipes. As the weather really starts to warm up our bodies naturally crave lighter foods.

It’s easier to grab a piece of fruit or some raw veggies when it’s hot out… be careful though because lighter foods can also contain more sugar and fats in dressings and marinades.

3 Things To Remember When Choosing Summertime Foods:

1.     Eat your fruit with 10-15 nuts or 1 ounce of cheese (if tolerated) or a small amount of protein like an egg.

2.     Make a choice between adding avocado, cheese or an oil based dressing to your salad. All are fats. Even though you might be choosing heart healthy fats like avocado and olive oil they can still contribute to weight gain when you have too much.

3.     Aim for two portions of fruit per day. An average fruit portion size is about 1 cup or the size of your closed fist.

Enjoy these three summertime recipes. Feel free to forward this email onto friends and family that would also enjoy these recipes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake Makes 1 Serving

Ingredients

2 scoops protein powder
1 cup unsweetened almond chocolate milk
1.5 tsp natural creamy peanut butter
¾ cup blueberries
1 tbsp of chia seeds (whole or ground)

Directions

Combine in blender and blend until smooth.

Cauliflower Hummus Makes 2 Cups

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1 1/2" florets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp sea salt (optional)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tahini (may be found in many middle eastern markets or at Whole Foods)
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced into a paste
Juice of 1 lemon
1/8 tsp paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Toss cauliflower, olive oil, cumin, sea salt and black pepper together in a large bowl.

Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake until cauliflower is browned and tender, 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine tahini, garlic, lemon juice and roasted cauliflower in a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms (add additional olive oil if desired).

Season with sea salt (if desired) and sprinkle paprika on top.

Serve warm or cold with assorted vegetables.

Kale Coleslaw  

Ingredients

1 14-16 oz. package classic coleslaw mix
3 cups kale, stems removed and chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 green onions, chopped
¼ cup apple cider vinegar 
½ cup grapeseed oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
2 tsp raw honey
1 tsp salt and pepper

Directions

In a large bowl toss coleslaw mix, kale, red pepper, carrot and green onion.

In a small bowl slowly whisk apple cider vinegar into grapeseed oil, mixing to emulsify. Add garlic, honey, and salt and pepper mix well. Pour dressing over coleslaw mixture and toss well to combine.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature.