Summer is the perfect time for cool and refreshing dishes like frozen treats and fresh salads. However, with the pandemic outbreak upon us, we’re all safely tucked inside our home counting the days when our lives would resume normalcy. This doesn’t mean you can’t make cool and refreshing dishes this hot, hot, hot summer while at home. Below are HCG Diet-friendly and delicious foods you should definitely add to your summer recipes:
- Watermelon
This invigorating summer fruit is high in water making it a good option during the HCG Diet. It’s great to prevent heat stroke as it keeps your body hydrated. One bite-size contains about 92% of water. While a fat slice is refreshing enough on its own, it’s even better when served as a contrast to a savory entrée or as a salad.
How to make the most from watermelon:
- Watermelon smoothie:
Mix some watermelon, strawberries and Greek yogurt to make a yummy refreshing smoothie.
- Watermelon-cucumber juice:
You can mix two summer fruits to make a cooler, refreshing drink. Prepare some quick juice from fresh cucumber and watermelon with a dash of mint to give it an even better taste.
- Watermelon salad:
Toast your sliced watermelon with cucumber, crumbled feta cheese and mint in an easy lime dressing. This simple yet unusual, colorful summer salad will surely be loved by everyone.
- Strawberries
Strawberries are super versatile. You can have them as jams, desserts, smoothies and shakes. This fruit is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, fibers, potassium and magnesium. It has zero cholesterol, no fat and low in calories. The heart-healthy properties of strawberries can benefit the digestive system as well as support the body’s defense against a variety of diseases.
How to make the most from strawberries:
- Strawberries smoothie:
Making a healthy strawberry smoothie is so easy. You have lots of options for making it your own. You can throw in other fresh fruits like raspberries or you can add some grains, protein powder, or yogurt.
- Strawberries salad:
You can make different variations of strawberry salad this summer. You can pair it with spinach or your favorite mixed greens or along with other fresh fruits.
- Strawberry popsicles:
With just four simple ingredients you can make delicious summer popsicles from strawberry. You just need some freshly squeezed lime, honey, mint leaves strawberries and stevia for sweetening.
- Cucumber
Cucumber is 95% water making it a great addition to the summer diet. This naturally dense and crisp vegetable is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, K, B-6, folate, riboflavin, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. 100grams of cucumber provides only 12 calories as a carb.
How to make the most from cucumber:
- Summer cucumber salad:
Some top-pick cucumber salad best enjoyed with sunshine are:
- Cucumber, avocado, tomato salad
- Classic cucumber and tomato salad
- Sour cream cucumber
These side dishes are a perfect complement to bbq chicken. They will definitely fill you up without denting your calorie intake, ultimately slimming you down and flaunt that new figure with confidence.
- Avocado
Avocados are popular for good reasons. It’s not only delicious but this super fruit is nutrient-rich. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients necessary to keep you healthy. It’s a good source of dietary fiber which helps reduce diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Avocado is great weight loss food. The dietary fiber content of avocado is known to create a feeling of satiety which can prevent you from having a snack throughout the day. Another reason why avocado is waistline-friendly is its monosaturated fat content aka the “good fat”.
How to make the most from avocado:
- Avocado salad:
Its creamy texture and hearty taste makes it perfect to chop up and throw on top of a salad. Avocados give textural balance to all those crunchy veggies in your salad. It provides healthy fat. ½ cup of avocado has 10.5 grams of fat and 5 grams of dietary fiber.
- Grilled avocado
It’s an easy side dish that only takes 5 minutes to grill. Cut the avocado into half and coat each side with olive oil. Place it side down on the grill until a bit charred. You can oven-roast the avocado if you do not want to grill it.
- Avocado smoothie
Avocado smoothie is a naturally low in carb. Just combine avocado, yogurt, milk, honey, and ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Grapefruit
Grapefruits are proven to help with weight loss and health. Eating half a grapefruit will help you burn fat and lose weight. Though it’s not technically a summertime fruit but it’s delicious. It’s not too sweet and it’s incredibly versatile. Pink grapefruit, in particular, is one of the citrus fruit to have on hand this summer.
How to make the most from pink grapefruit:
- Grapefruit popsicles:
This treat is super refreshing. Just mix the pink grapefruit juice with either orange juice or red grapefruit and bring it to a boil with Stevia. Let it cool and pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze.
- Grapefruit punch:
It’s a classic summer party staple. It’s a mixture of fresh pink grapefruit juice, lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, and a few slices of oranges. It’s up to you whether you want to add alcohol or not.
- Grapefruit sorbet:
It’s a delightfully crisp, fresh ending to a meal or after a fish course to cleanse the palate. Garnish it with a mint leave or any small green herb.