By Nicola Cucuiet and Sylvia Klinger
Eating out when on a diet or a healthy eating plan can most often be hard! Temptation is stronger than ever and the quality of your food can sometimes happen to not be what it seems. Luckily in the summer, the fresh array or fruits and vegetables can come and save the day, with their endless fresh combination that can ease your cravings, leaving you satisfied without having to compromise your healthy diet. This summer try choosing foods that contains ingredients that are in season like tomatoes, sweet onions, pea pods, beets, zucchini, watermelon, melons, peaches, apricots and last but not least anti-oxidant filled berries. In this period because of the abundance of fresh produce, load your body with what mother nature has to offer. Try and stay away from heavy, high calorie dishes that will only leave you felling bloated.
When eating out choose those dishes that the closest to their natural state. A good example are cold soups. From the refreshing Italian gazpacho to more exotic kinds like fruit chilled soups. The advantage of these soups is that they charge your body with a variety of vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants that are most important in the summer as they protect the skin against the damages produced by the exposure to UV light. The star vegetable this summer should be tomatoes due to their high content of lycopene, a powerful anti oxidant that protects you skin against sun damage and premature skin aging.
Lean meats like chicken and turkey go great with green salads of just about any kind. A new twist on salads can be grilled fruits and vegetables, that go great as a side dish or as key ingredients in salads. Choose onions, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, baby tomatoes, and consume them with your favorite lean meat or incorporated in salads with fresh feta cheese and basil or any other favorite combination close to your heart.
In order to satisfy you sweet tooth the possibilities are now endless. The sweet stars of summer are melons. Watermelons are 50% water, making them the excellent choice to re hydrate and cool yourself down but at the same time satisfying your sweet tooth. Watermelons can easily be transformed into a self standing meal. Don’t forget to try the delicious sweet and salty watermelon and goat or feta cheese combination. This dish really delivers! It’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s refreshing, it’s perfect!
Ice cream screams summer! Choose low fat ice cream and enjoy this classic desert every time you get a craving. The correct portion is 2 scoops of low fat ice cream without any extra toppings. Pair your ice cream with a grilled banana or pineapple, frozen berries or a few nuts.
Remember to eat fresh foods, take advantage of the abundance of natural foods around you , and remember to have as much fun in the sun as possible. The days are longer so your activities can go on from dawn till dusk!
Live file and love it. Eat well.
