In the summer, eating according to seasonality is easier than ever before and after. Even young children will easily name some seasonal summer fruits and vegetables. Take advantage of the abundance of Polish edible plants and use them daily in the kitchen. At this time of year, there are no excuses for your diet not to be full of colour, balanced and abundant in healthy products.
What to eat in the summer? Seasonal products
The beginning of summer, i.e. the end of June, is still the season for strawberries – eat them even every day and make preserves out of them, as they are one of the healthier Polish fruits.
Summer also heralds the season for berries: cherries, currants, raspberries, gooseberries, wild cherries, blueberries and forest blueberries – these are the world’s healthiest fruits filled with antioxidants and providing relatively few simple sugars. They are very beneficial for people of all age groups. Adults will appreciate their blood pressure-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic properties; active people will rejoice at their high antioxidant content, which supports post-workout recovery; whereas schoolchildren, students and white-collar workers will benefit most from their brain-protecting properties. These are true Polish superfruits.
In late June and in July, arugula and spinach are also excellent for consumption. The early leaves, which are best eaten raw, in light summer salads or on sandwiches. They are rich sources of nitrates, which active people may know as “legal and natural doping”. They increase nitric oxide production and improve performance. Their effects are most noticeable in amateur athletes. So spinach and arugula have a similar effect to that of beet greens and beetroot juice.
Early and late summer is also the time to eat fresh legumes. Broad beans, sugar snap peas and green beans are precious and packed with vitamins. Include them in main courses or eat as a snack.
June, July and August are also the season for cauliflower, broccoli, rhubarb, early cabbage, beet greens and chard, white radish, early carrots, leeks and parsley. Also invaluable are early potatoes, which are remarkably filling. Although commonly considered fattening, they can be an element of almost any healthy diet.
The turn of July and August opens the season for domestic tomatoes. Eat them raw and processed. Tomatoes are one of the few plants that do not lose but gain with heat treatment. In the summer they are the tastiest and healthiest. Those ripened in full sun have the highest lycopene content – the most valuable antioxidant, which becomes better absorbed in tomatoes that are stewed, roasted and processed in various other ways.
Read also: What to Eat in August? 10 Vegetables and Fruits to Include in Your Diet
August, on the other hand, is the time for zucchini – the queen of summer vegetables. It is low in calories and perfect for preparing fit dishes. It’s a very versatile vegetable that can be stuffed, made into pasta, added to a casserole, and even turned into jam! It has relatively little fibre, so it is easily digested and well tolerated by almost everyone. Its neutral flavour allows you to conjure up true culinary wonders.
When the summer is in full swing, at the local marketplace you can also buy the following at good prices: nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, pears, watermelons and the first Polish apples. Take advantage of the season and eat a variety of fruits that provide priceless antioxidants and minerals. Don’t worry too much about the sugar they contain – the fibre and antioxidants offset its potential negative impact.
In late August and September, the first mushrooms also appear in the forests. They are very healthy, it is a myth that they do not provide any nutrients. The peak season for mushrooms is in autumn, but by the end of summer, it’s a good idea to prepare some recipes featuring them and have your eyes in the back of your head during forest walks.
Balanced and healthy meals for the summer of 2023 – recipes
Low-calorie zucchini pasta with creamy tomato sauce
The recipe is ideal for those on a weight-loss and low-carbohydrate diet. Instead of classic pasta, use zucchini to reduce the calorie content of the dish.
Ingredients / 2 servings:
- approx. 500 g of zucchini,
- 400 g of tomatoes,
- half a bulb of garlic,
- 20 ml of olive oil,
- a teaspoon of herbes de Provence,
- 200 g of ricotta cheese,
- 30 g of walnuts,
- salt and pepper.
Preparation:
- Slice the tomatoes and layer them in an ovenproof dish.
- Peel the garlic and put the cloves in the vessel with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with herbs and pour olive oil.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes are browned.
- Transfer the contents of the ovenproof dish to a cup blender. Add ricotta cheese and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth texture is achieved.
- Using a vegetable peeler or special spiralizer, cut out the pasta from the zucchini.
- Boil salted water in a pot. Add zucchini pasta to boiling water for about 2 minutes.
- Drain thoroughly and put back into the pot. Add the tomato sauce to the pasta and mix.
- Sprinkle the dish with crushed walnuts and freshly ground black pepper.
Macronutrients / 1 serving:
- Energy: 417 kcal
- Protein: 20 g
- Fat: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fibre: 7 g
Broad beans with pearl groats, mint, chili and feta cheese
A vegetarian summer seasonal dinner that is perfectly balanced. Also ideal as a healthy salad for grilled dishes.
Ingredients / 2 servings:
- 400 g of broad beans,
- 100 g of pearl groats,
- 1 handful of mint,
- 100 g of feta cheese,
- 10 ml of flaxseed oil,
- optional: fresh chili peppers or chili flakes.
Preparation:
- Cook broad beans and groats al dente in salted water.
- Peel the broad beans if you don’t want to eat them with the skin on.
- Chop the mint finely. Cut the feta into small cubes.
- Mix broad beans with groats, mint and flaxseed oil. Season with pepper and, optionally, chili.
- Sprinkle the finished portion with feta cheese.
Macronutrients / 1 serving:
- Energy: 497 kcal
- Protein: 27 g
- Fat: 16 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fibre: 16 g
Healthy summer grilled skewers with apricots and turkey
Skewers with vegetables are one of the healthier meals you can eat off the grill. Use any seasonal vegetables to prepare them. Below is an unusual suggestion for high-protein skewers with turkey and apricots.
Ingredients / 2 servings:
- 300 g of turkey breast,
- 4 apricots,
- red onion,
- 100 g of zucchini,
- 400 g of boiled early potatoes,
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil,
- a handful of basil,
- a teaspoon of sweet paprika and dried onion,
- salt and pepper.
Preparation:
- Cut turkey breast into regular pieces – cubes. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with sweet paprika and dried onions. Set aside for at least an hour to marinate.
- Cut the onion into regular rings and the zucchini into slices. Cut apricots in half and take out the seeds.
- Chop basil finely and combine with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff pieces of apricot, turkey, onion and zucchini one by one on the barbecue sticks – repeat until all ingredients are used.
- Grill the skewers on a grill tray, in a gas grill or in an oven with a grill function.
- Serve them with boiled potatoes, topped with basil oil.
Macronutrients:
- Energy: 629 kcal
- Protein: 51 g
- Fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fibre: 8 g
Summer salad with cherries, camembert, arugula and sugar snap peas
A well-balanced salad is a great idea for a summer lunch to go when the heat is on and you don’t want to eat your meal hot.
Ingredients:
- 300 g of ripe cherries,
- 70 g of arugula,
- 100 g of light camembert cheese,
- 100 g of fresh sugar snap peas,
- a tablespoon of rapeseed oil,
- a tablespoon of lime or lemon juice,
- salt and pepper.
Preparation:
- Pit the cherries and cut them in half, take the peas out of their shells, clean the arugula.
- Cut the camembert into small pieces.
- Prepare the dressing by mixing the oil with lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix arugula with the pitted cherries, camembert and sugar snap peas.
- Pour the dressing over the salad. Serve with a slice of wholemeal bread or grilled pita.
Macronutrients:
- Energy: 538 kcal
- Protein: 30 g
- Fat: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 50.4 g
- Fibre: 7.5 g
Green beans, potatoes and a fried egg made differently
A fresh modification of a popular Polish summer dinner: early potatoes with a fried egg, green beans and breadcrumbs in a healthier version.
Ingredients / 2 servings:
- 400 g of green beans,
- 500 g of early potatoes,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- 1 bunch of dill,
- 2 tablespoons of green pesto,
- 4 eggs,
- 20 g of flax seeds,
- 20 ml of rapeseed oil,
Preparation:
- Cook the potatoes al dente in salted water.
- Steam the green beans while cooking the potatoes.
- Peel the garlic cloves and cut them into thin slices.
- Heat 10 ml of rapeseed oil in a frying pan, add garlic and fry until golden brown.
- Grind the flaxseed in a coffee or pepper grinder.
- Mix the flaxseed with cooled fried garlic and add the remaining rapeseed oil. Pour the garlic grease over the green beans.
- Layer the pesto in the pan and crack the eggs into it. Cover the pan and wait for the yolks to set.
- Chop the dill. Serve the boiled potatoes sprinkled with dill with garlic beans and a poached egg over pesto.
Macronutrients:
- Energy: 600 kcal
- Protein: 24 g
- Fat: 30 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fibre: 11 g