Cool Summer Recipes

Summer is finally here! I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do when it’s over 80 degrees out is turn on my oven or eat anything hot. Here are a couple of my favorite healthy and easy to cook summer recipes that will keep you cool and feeling satisfied during these hot summer months! My other favorite part about these recipes is that they are great make ahead dishes.

Black Bean Cilantro Lime Quinoa

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 red or orange bell pepper
• 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• salt/pepper to taste

Directions
1. Over medium heat in a medium sauce pan cook 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water or broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for ~ 15 minutes or until no liquid is left. Then let cool.
2. Once quinoa is cooled add in diced tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro and mix together.
3. Then add in remaining ingredients (olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, salt and pepper) and stir to combine.

Nutrition Information per serving: 405 calories, 16 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 50 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 300 mg sodium, 12  g fiber

Cool Avocado Cream Soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 Avocados, peeled, pitted
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 28 ounces (3.5 cups) of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
•  1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• toppings: cilantro, plain Greek yogurt

1. Put the avocado flesh in a food processor with the onion and half of the lemon juice. Process until smoothly pureed, stopping a few times as necessary to scrape down the bowl, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the chicken broth and the cream until thoroughly blended. Season with salt, pepper to taste and more of the lemon juice. Cover; chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
2. Taste the chilled soup; adjust the seasonings if necessary with a little more salt, pepper and lemon juice. If you prefer it thinner, stir in some of the remaining chilled chicken broth. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with cilantro and greek yogurt.

Nutrition information per serving(not including toppings): 200 calories, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 300 mg sodium, 7 g fiber