Summer time is detox time. The heat and humidity induces a strong sense of awareness towards how to keep fit and light. Eating light helps you beat the heat and minimize doctor's visits. There are a number of amazingly easy and light summer dinner recipes that you can benefit from.
The summer heat may not always be associated with illness, sweltering heat, and exhaustion. This is the best time of the year to involve the whole family in your grocery shopping sprees and cooking escapades.
There are many light summer dinner recipes that ensure the family sleeps tight and wakes up healthier each morning. Including fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meat is so very important during this season. Some recipes that beat the age and preference barriers include:
Cheese and Spinach Casserole
Ingredients
Spinach, 2 cups (chopped)
Mozzarella cheese, 1 cup (shredded)
Cheddar cheese, 1 cup (diced)
Parmesan cheese, 1 cup (grated)
Pie crusts, 2 (unbaked)
Black pepper, ½ teaspoon (ground)
Nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon (powdered)
Salt, to taste.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.
2. Press one pie crust along the bottom and sides of the glass pie dish.
3. Mix together the Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheese, spinach, pepper, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Transfer the mixture into the pie crust at the base of the pie dish and place the second crust on top of the filling. Trim the edges for finesse.
5. Bake for 40 minutes and cut into wedges, once cool.
Cherry Mania
You can wash the cheese and spinach casserole down with this wonderful fizzy favorite. The zingy taste is not something the kids will readily miss out on.
Ingredients
Cherry juice concentrate, 4 cups
Ginger ale, 4 cups
Mint leaves, 1 cup (fresh)
Cherries, 6 (fresh)
Method
1. Place a little cherry concentrate in a champagne saucer.
2. Slowly, stir in the ginger ale.
3. Garnish the drink with a swizzle stick garnished with a fresh cherry and mint leaves.
Roast Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken, 1 (around a kilogram in weight)
Soy sauce, 2 cups
Brown sugar, 1 cup
White sugar, 1 cup
Ginger, 1 tablespoon (juiced)
Salt, to taste
Method
1. Mix together the soy sauce, brown and white sugar, and ginger juice.
2. Pour the concoction over the chicken, and set aside overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.
4. Place the marinated chicken into a greased baking dish.
5. Bake for an hour, or until the juices run clear.
6. Serve hot or at room temperature or even cold (shredded) in sandwiches!
Fruit Frolic
Watch the children and seniors relish the chicken with a great fruit frolic. Lemonade, cherries, blueberries, and vanilla ice cream, and you have a family falling in love with you... all over again!
Ingredients
Lemonade, 4 cups
Cherries, 2 cups (fresh)
Blueberries or strawberries, 2 cups (fresh)
Strawberry or raspberry syrup, 4 tablespoons
Vanilla ice cream
Method
1. Place 2 cherries and blueberries/strawberries in each champagne saucer.
2. Pour in a tablespoon of raspberry/strawberry syrup into each glass.
3. Top with lemonade and a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Strawberry Marshmallow Shortcake
Both, the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian meal, could do with a Strawberry shortcake! The eggs could be traded for whipped fresh cream.
Ingredients
Strawberries, 2 cups (sliced, soaked in syrup)
All-purpose flour, 2 cups
Sugar, 2 cups (refined, ground)
Marshmallows, 1 cup
Gelatin, 1 cup (strawberry-flavored)
Milk, 1 cup (fresh)
Eggs, 3 (2 cups of fresh, whipped cream for those who wish to avoid eggs).
Shortening, ½ cup
Baking powder, 3 teaspoons
Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.
2. Grease a baking pan and sprinkle the marshmallows evenly on the greased base.
3. Whisk the strawberries, syrup and gelatin, and set aside.
4. In a cake-mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
5. Slowly, add the shortening, vanilla essence, milk and eggs (or the whipped cream).
6. Blend the mixture for about 3 minutes.
7. Pour the batter evenly over the marshmallows at the base of the baking dish.
8. Bake for about 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in it comes out clean.
These summer dinner ideas are sure to make you a star. The recipes are fun to put together with the whole family. These recipes are a hit with all age groups, and makes summer meals healthier.