Gazpacho, salmorejo, ice cream or Russian salad constitute typical summer dishes that we usually taste when ambient temperatures rise and we seek to refresh ourselves through what we eat. we show you how to make these preparations healthier and lighter.
Ice creams: always better without added sugar
Commercial ice creams are sweets that can offer a lot of added sugar and at the same time, they can provide poor quality fats, even vegan options.
That’s why, the best ice creams will be homemade and without added sugar that we can prepare based on frozen fruit only, or incorporating protein sources that fill you up easily, such as fresh cheese, yogurt or other dairy products.
Similarly, we can incorporate fiber in our ice creams by adding nuts, seeds or pieces of fruit that will also offer their natural sugars, vitamins and minerals.
Thus, some options healthy ice cream that we recommend preparing at home are: single-ingredient banana ice cream, creamy two-ingredient banana ice cream, mango and banana ice cream, pineapple and coconut ice cream, or cherry and yogurt ice cream.
Gazpachos, lighter without bread
Although gazpacho in its most traditional form constitutes a moisturizing and light cold soup that we can taste without guilt during the summer, it is possible to achieve a preparation even less caloric and healthier if we remove the bread of its list of ingredients.
The white bread used in most gazpachos incorporates refined flours or carbohydrates that are easily assimilated into the dish, which is why its removal allows the nutritional profile of this cold soup to be improved and, at the same time, reduce your energy intake.
Incorporate other vegetables or fruits to give a twist to the classic gazpacho as well as adding natural yogurt without sugar, chopped egg or other food sources of protein, will increase the satiating power of this cold soup.
Russian salad: with more vegetables and without mayonnaise
The classic Russian salad, based on eggs and potatoes, can be an option rich in sodium due to the lots of mayonnaise that incorporates, being at the same time a preparation low fiber and with many carbohydrates.
However, we can make this dish much healthier and more satiating if we cook the al dente potatoes and add more vegetables such as: peas, green beans or others and at the same time; we incorporate fresh cheese beaten with lemon and mustard instead of mayonnaise.
For add protein It is possible to incorporate tuna or sardines that also offer healthy fats for the body.
A choice of light and protein Russian salad we can get it by making the dish using turnip instead of potatoes.
Potato omelette, better without frying
The potato omelette is another classic during the summer, which usually accompanies our days at the pool. However, it is an option. full of fat and calories due to the frying of the potatoes that entails its preparation in a traditional way.
Therefore, the best option to achieve a light potato omelette is do not fry its main ingredient but rather, prepare the potatoes in the oven or cook them in the microwave and then emulsify them with egg and finish in a pan with a little oil.
It is also possible to reduce their fat content as much as possible using egg white instead of whole egg and thus, we will achieve a higher protein intake and fewer calories compared to the traditional tortilla.
Cold pasta salad: with al dente pasta and more vegetables
Pasta salad is another summer classic that It usually includes mayonnaise and also cold cuts or sausages, which is why it may include a high proportion of fat and sodium per serving.
To obtain a much more satiating and light preparation, we recommend cook pasta al dente, Once cooled, it is a good source of resistant starch and thus, it will be more effective in calming our appetite.
Similarly, add a wide variety of vegetables and use fresh, lean meats or fish instead of cold cuts for finishing, it will be key to obtain more satiating and beneficial nutrients for the body.
Also, we recommend replace commercial mayonnaise with fresh whipped cheese mixed with mustard or simply dress with extra virgin olive oil or oil emulsified with milk.
Sandwiches: with wholemeal bread and no processed meats
Sandwiches and sandwiches are a very common option, especially if we are looking for a dish that can be taken anywhere. However, certain ingredients, such as white bread or cold cuts and sausages deteriorate the quality of the dish.
For this reason, we advise make sandwiches based on wholemeal bread or full grain that will incorporate more fiber and increase its satiating power.
At the same time, it is advisable avoid processed meats using lean cooked meats instead or, if we are looking for greater practicality, canned fish are good options.
Minimize the addition of commercial sauces is also another suggestion, being able to use mustard, fresh whipped cheese, guacamole, tahini, or peanut butter instead.
On the other hand, it is always advisable use various vegetables or even fresh fruits to fill them, since they will incorporate fiber, vitamins and minerals, without a large number of calories.
Salmorejos: lighter without added bread
Similar to gazpacho, salmorejo is a very refreshing preparation with a high water content that we usually enjoy in summer. Nevertheless, the incorporation of bread inside adds poor quality nutrients such as easily assimilated carbohydrates.
Therefore, we advise remove the bread of its list of ingredients and accompany it with fresh fruits and vegetables as well as fish, shellfish, chopped eggs, nuts or seeds that will add fiber and protein, thus increasing the satiating power and nutritional quality of the dish.
Of course also we can vary its ingredients traditional by others, using, for example, fresh seasonal fruits or foods with a low proportion of hydrates, such as avocado.
These are typical summer dishes which we can give a twist to make them healthier and lighter, in order to enjoy them without neglecting the diet this season.
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Image | Viton and DAP