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Home » Health » 6 Summer Recipes from our own Naturopath & Nutritional Therapist

6 Summer Recipes from our own Naturopath & Nutritional Therapist

by Marina Townsley

Marina has a passion for healthy food, collects wholesome recipes and educates her clients about proper nutrition that she believes to be the very foundation of a long and healthy life.

 

Here are 6 delicious recipes to enjoy this summer:

1. Strawberry, Mint & Cucumber Salad

Summer is a strawberry and cucumber season, and a perfect time to make this refreshing, wholesome salad. Strawberries and cucumbers go surprisingly well together, and ideally you want to use organic berries, vegetables and herbs to avoid harmful pesticides.

The fresh mint brings out the flavours of the other ingredients and adds a bit of culinary flair to a dish that takes only a few minutes to prepare.

There are different variations of this salad where feta cheese, grilled chicken, cooked prawns or poached salmon can be added for a complete and filling meal, and fresh basil leaves can be used instead of or together with mint. It can be served alongside meat dishes, but is equally enjoyable on its own.

Ingredients

  • 2 cucumbers chopped
  • 3 cups strawberries chopped
  • 1/2 red onion chopped
  • fresh mint and/or basil finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
 

Instructions

  1. Combine chopped cucumbers, strawberries, onion and mint in a bowl.
  2. Whisk together vinegar and olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and serve.

2. Summer Peach Salad with Avocado, Toasted Almonds & Feta

Peach is my favourite fruit as I find its taste so delicious that I am always looking for any excuse to use it in combination with other foods.

Peaches are nutritious, packed with antioxidants and may offer many health benefits, including improved heart health and digestion, cholesterol reduction, smoother skin and allergy relief. Grass pollen released in the summer months causes the misery of hay fever, and peaches may help reduce allergy symptoms by preventing the release of histamine.

This fresh and healthy summer salad is very easy to make and it tastes amazing. You can substitute feta for grilled chicken and it will make a perfect picnic dish to take with you on a lazy summer afternoon.

Ingredients

  • 4handfuls of spinach or any other mixed salad leaves
  • 2large peaches, sliced
  • 1avocado, diced
  • 1/2red onion, very thinly sliced
  • crumbled goat cheese or feta
  • sprinkle of sliced toasted almonds
 

For the dressing:

  • 3Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1garlic clove, crushed
  • freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

 

Instructions

  1. Combine spinach or mixed salad leaves, sliced peaches and onion, diced avocado, crumbled goat cheese and toasted almonds in a bowl.

Whisk together vinegar and olive oil, adding crushed garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and serve.

3. Quinoa with Roast Vegetables

Quinoa is very versatile and can be a good substitute for rice in many recipes. The main benefit of doing so is that instead of fattening carbs you will be eating slimming amino acids, which will go a long way in showing off your trimmer figure on the beach during your summer holidays. Quinoa is actually a pseudo grain, which can be prepared and eaten like grain. It contains fibre and protein, nutrients that help you feel satisfied after eating for longer than carbs.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 packet of tricolor quinoa (white, red and black quinoa blend from Waitrose)
  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1-2 courgettes sliced
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper
  • cherry tomatoes (or few chopped sundried tomatoes to add at the end)
  • feta cheese or haloumi, cubed
  • a sprinkling of oregano or Herbs of Provence
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
 

Instructions

  1. Cover the quinoa with boiling water (about 2 fingers above the quinoa level), simmer gently until the water evaporates and quinoa becomes fluffy (pretty much like Basmati rice). The main trick here is not to boil but to steam it. 
  2. Roast the butternut squash on a tray in the oven at 160-180 Co with some olive oil until it softens, then add bell peppers, courgettes and onion.
  3.  When the vegetables are nearly done, add cherry tomatoes for the last few minutes. If not using fresh tomatoes, add some chopped sundried tomatoes from a glass jar with olive oil. Sprinkle some oregano or Herbs of Provence all over the roasted vegetables.
  4.  When the vegetables are ready, add steamed quinoa and mix well.
  5.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and grind black pepper to taste.
  6.  Optional: feta or grilled haloumi can be added at the end if desired.

4. Quinoa Tabbouleh

Serve tabbouleh at room temperature or cold. This salad is even better the next day, once the flavours have had a chance to mingle. Serve it on its own, as a side dish or with wedges of pita bread as a light appetizer.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 long cucumber, chopped
  • 1 large bunch of parsley, chopped
  • 1 small bunch of mint, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
 

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa under cool water, then cover with boiling water from a kettle (about 2 fingers above the quinoa level) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer, then turn down the heat to low, cover and cook until the quinoa is fluffy and chewy, about 15 minutes.

  1. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the onion, tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, parsley and mint.
  2. Empty the steamed quinoa into a large bowl and allow it to cool almost to room temperature. The quinoa should feel just barely warm to the touch. You can speed this process by spreading the quinoa into a thin layer and stirring it occasionally.
  3. Stir the onions, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, and garlic into the warm quinoa.
  4. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pour this over the salad and stir to combine. Taste a spoonful of the salad and add more salt or pepper to taste.

5. Mango Pudding

Mangoes are usually at their very best from May to July, and we should catch the mango season to fully enjoy this flavoursome fruit. Mango is low in calories yet rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, especially carotenoids, polyphenols and vitamin C. These nutrients help to improve immunity, digestion, eye health and even thought to be cancer preventative. Mangiferin, a polyphenol found in mango, has recently gained attention for its promising anticancer effects. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that mango is sweeter and contains more sugar than many other fruits, so should be eaten as a treat in moderation.

Coconut milk is lactose free, provides healthy fats and gives the pudding its creamy texture.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium or large ripe mangoes
  • 3 tsp of good quality gelatine (e.g. Planet Paleo grassfed pure gelatine)
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 cup coconut milk
 
Instructions

 

  1. Make sure your mangoes are ripe (they should be bright orange or yellow and fairly soft). Scoop out the fruit pulp and whizz it in a food processor or blender to create a smooth mango puree.
  2. Heat the water in a saucepan until it just starts to boil, remove from heat and stir in the gelatine with a whisk to prevent the formation of any lumps.
  3. Add gelatine mixture and coconut milk to the mango puree in the blender, and whizz them together to combine the ingredients.
  4. Pour into dessert bowls or cups, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

6. Coconut Berry Ice Cream

This is.a welcome dessert not just for those who cannot have dairy ice cream due to lactose or casein intolerance, but for everybody who enjoys ice cream on a hot summer day. It has no added sugar either!

This recipe contains baobab powder. Baobab is considered a superfood thanks to its nutritional benefits. It is rich in fiber as well as all essential nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Baobab powder slows down the emptying of the stomach and helps the body feel full for longer. This curbs the appetite preventing excess calorie intake and aids in weight loss. It is also beneficial for blood sugar control, helps with constipation, cholesterol and inflammation reduction.

Ingredients
  • 500 g fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 160 ml coconut cream
  • 2 tbsp Baobab powder (optional)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
  1. Place the frozen raspberries, coconut cream, baobab powder and vanilla paste into a blender or food processor and whizz the ingredients together at high speed.
  2. Line a glass baking dish with cling film making sure there is enough cling film hanging over the edges to cover the top.
  3. Pour the mixture into the lined baking dish, cover and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. When it is semi-solid, whisk it again with a fork and refreeze.
  4. When frozen, place in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Cover and refreeze until serving time.
  5. Make sure that the ice-cream is fully covered with cling film each time it goes into the freezer as otherwise ice crystals will form, and the consistency will not turn out smooth and creamy.

written by

Marina Townsley

Naturopath
Nutritional Therapist & Herbalist
Dip CNM mBANT NTCC CNHC ANP AMH
FSM Practitioner

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