U Make A Difference

It's Dinner Time-Again?

Maybe getting back into the school routine has put an end to the late night barbequing or maybe its still just too hot to turn the oven on!

Either way, here are some tips to help make dinnertime cool, but still nutritious & delicious!

                                      Cool Down & Enjoy the final days of Summer
For most of us, the last thing we want to do in August is heat up the kitchen cooking dinner!  There is still plenty of sunshine to enjoy, last minute family outings, and other summer activities keeping us busy.  Now add in schooling, extra- curricular activities, sports, etc. and the thought of getting into a (hot) kitchen is not on anyone's wish list!  For me, this time of year offers the most difficult routine to get back into.  Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to feed the family a cool, healthy, and nutritious meal, still enjoy the sunsets, and beat the heat.

Here are some ideas:
 
Salads-Chock full of...everything!

A salad certainly doesn't simply mean a chunk of iceberg lettuce, tomato and dressing. (yuck!)   A cool, crisp, crunchy salad on a hot day is very refreshing. And, in the summertime our bodies need additional hydration so give it what it's craving by making a salad your main dish.
To make a meal out of a salad, include cooked chicken, shrimp, tuna, avocado beans, tofu, cheese, and/or hard-boiled eggs for protein.  Add in loads of  fresh vegetables, and event fruits. Top with your favorite healthy dressing.  Gathering, washing, and cutting (supervised of course) are fun for the kids too. For full nutritional benefit, make your salad colorful and top with bits like Enjoy Life's Perky's Crunch Flax.  Yum!

Sandwich Night
Every family might think about making sandwich night a weekly tradition~ if for no other reason than to give the cook a break! Another quick, cool, and healthy dinner option that avoids turning on the oven.  Got creative kids?  Let them gather up all of your family's favorite sandwich fixings & let them go to town.  It may not be your idea of a delicious meal, but you might be surprised what they come up with.   And think outside the breadbox:  Consider offering flour/corn tortillas, English muffins, bagels, pita breads, large whole-grain crackers, etc. Or no bread at all:  red, yellow, green peppers, large mushrooms, or thick sliced apples make great customized sandwich "ends"-fill with nut butters, hummus, cream cheese, natural lunch meats & sprouts.


Plug It In ~ Smaller Appliances
If your craving a hot meal, (I totally get it...its about this time of year I crave a bowl of home-made chili)
use a smaller appliance. An electric griddle, wok, toaster oven or crock pot create less heat than your stove and oven. There are lots of quick, healthy and delicious crock pot recipes-and so easy...just throw in the ingredients, turn it on, and walk away. See Eating Well dot com.  And a carryover from sandwich night, how about open-faced sandwiches, mini grilled pizzas on bagels or English muffins, or Panini's filled with everything from left-overs to gourmet cheeses on the griddle.  Another quick tip/treat, use a small mixer to make delicious and protein packed mini smoothies for desert or after school.  Lots of great recipes out there or create your own.  I use Shaklee's Energizing Soy Protein as it is safe, non-GMO, and mixes well.



Go Raw
More than a trend, the Summertime is a wonderful time to experience the health benefits of eating more raw fruits and veggies. Even if you don't want to commit to a raw foods diet long term, pick up a raw food cookbook and experiment with some of the recipes or visit  Meatless Mondays to learn the many reasons we might want to avoid eating meat at least once each week, and review/try their delicious recipe ideas.



 Go Outside-
To the grill, that is. This is a no-brainer but worth mentioning.  Grilling your meats, veggies, tofu, fish, kabobs, etc.outside on the grill will allow you to enjoy the outdoors and keep the heat out of your kitchen. Serve a nice cold fruit salad for dessert. Refreshing!


Whatever way you choose to make your cool Summertime meal, be sure to include all the food groups.  As you can see on the chart, our plates should be full of a variety of mostly vegetables, some fruits, grains, and protein, with a bit of dairy (or calcium is what I like to say).  Make it fun, enjoyable, nutritious, and delicious. And then go outside and enjoy the last of the warm summer nights! Be cool~

To your health,