The wonderful joys of summer fun: swimming, hiking, biking, baseball, soccer, gardening, the list goes on and on. Who wants to spend a lot of time preparing fresh, healthy meals in a hot kitchen? I do not! So I made up 3 sugar hunter summer salads (we have to be content to stick with that, right?) That will keep you happy and out of the kitchen in no time.
My best trick for those hot summer days is to prepare everything in the morning while it’s still cold and then enjoy the weather and your good food for the rest of the day. I call that a win – win.
Here are 3 that I think you would enjoy.
Carrot and Corn Salad
1/2 cup sour cream (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar or stevia equivalent
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
16 oz. fresh or frozen corn
4 carrots, chopped
1 green bell pepper diced
1 chopped sweet onion
Combine the first 4 ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste. Then add your veggies and chill for 2 hours.
You can vary your vegetables as your garden produces new offerings. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
Note: If you use fat-free or low-fat fat, keep an eye out for the “water” once it sets for a while. Just drain the excess water and then stir it will be fine.
Grandma’s salad for sugar hunters
3 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled and diced
2 stalks of celery
1 carrot
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
fresh green lettuce leaves (no ice berg lettuce please)
Toss it all together with this yogurt dressing (or experiment with your own toppings)
Dressing room:
1/2 cup of plain nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 t. Of honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Mix well. For the previous mix. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to chill. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.
Orange and kiwi salad
1 head romaine lettuce, sliced
3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
11 oz. can tangerines, drained
1 large red onion, sliced
3 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
Optional: croutons or Chinese noodles
Combine them all together and then toss with this dressing or any of their own:
Dressing room:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons unsweetened orange marmalade
salt and pepper to taste
Mix and shake well. You will get about 1 1/3 cup of yield with this recipe. I don’t normally use it all. I stretch it for 2 lunch salads. That is enough for me. You decide what is best for you.
Many sugar hunters find summer salads to be THE way to go to keep them satisfied during the hot summer months. They experiment with new flavors and enjoy delicious combinations they have never tried before. Keeps it interesting and away from the ice cream stand. They are not trying to make them as few calories as possible. Incorporating your essential oils into your summer salads is a great way to stay satisfied and keep those sugar cravings at bay.