Making the Most of Summer Cooking

I love cooking and I love the fact that as the seasons change so do our cooking methods and the type of fresh produce that we use.

An important part of eating well is having adequate skills in the kitchen to turn whole fruit and vegetables into a meal that is tasty, healthy and something that the whole family will enjoy.

Summer cooking represents an opportunity in our lives when we can whip up something quick and easy and still eat remarkably well. Summer cooking should be simple, fresh and full of flavour. No one wants to be slaving over a hot stove in 30 degree weather or have the oven on for hours during the day.

An important part of healthy cooking is working with seasonal ingredients. This way we can buy local and support Aussie farmers whilst enjoying fruit and vegetables at their best. Click HERE for a guide to summer fruits and vegetables from the Sydney Markets.

Here are some ways that you can make the most of summer and cook up fresh, tasty, seasonal meals for your family that are bursting with both favour and nutrition:

BBQ

I’m pretty sure that the humble Australian BBQ is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of summer cooking and I know that the outdoor BBQ in the Freeman household receives a pretty good workout most nights of the week.

Now there’s nothing wrong with a beef sausage or 2 on your plate every now and then, however 2 standard beef sausages contain 1681kJ (403 calories), 30g of fat and adds a whopping 819mg of sodium (salt) to your daily intake. The adequate intake for sodium for an adult is 460-920mg per day and for a child 200-600mg per day. Way too much salt!

There are so many wonderful, healthy foods you can cook on the BBQ to ensure your summer meals never get boring.

Fresh vegetable ideas…

• Mixed vegetables – chop up some capsicum, zucchini, onion, eggplant, mushrooms and chuck them on the char grill with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some crushed garlic. Only cook them for a few minutes to preserve a bit of ‘crunch’ and then drizzle with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar or toss through some freshly chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley.
• Sweet potato – microwave to start the cooking process for 2-3 minutes and then toss them in olive oil, salt and paprika. Grill on the BBQ for a couple of minutes each side until crisp. Heathy, tasty BBQ chips!
• Corn – beautiful fresh sweet corn is lovely on the BBQ. Cook for a few minutes and then enjoy with an olive oil drizzles and a sprinkle of dried herbs.
• Mushrooms – slice up button mushrooms and toss on the BBQ with crushed garlic and olive oil. Remove from the BBQ and toss through some chopped fresh basil. It’s also fantastic on wholegrain toast for breakfast – just for a change!

Meat & poultry ideas…

• Chicken breast marinated in lemon juice and oregano or honey and soy, or chilli, ginger and lime. So many possibilities. Check out this article – How to Add Flavour Without Adding Kilojoules.
• Kanga bangas – They are lean, low calorie and contain much less salt than the beef variety. Kangaroo sausages are a great addition to the Aussie BBQ.
• Steak – a piece of lean steak with the fat removed is a great addition to a BBQ. Serve it topped with sliced avocado and a herbed yoghurt dressing.

Salads

I love salads. In summer time it’s almost the only way I eat vegetables. To ensure a wide variety of different vegetables and so you don’t get bored,  make your salads as exciting as possible. Read:  How to Make a Healthy Summer Salad for more tips on building a salad that’s more than just cucumber, lettuce and tomato… (as good as these vegetables are).

Here are some of my favourite combinations:

• Baby rocket, spanish onion, roasted sweet potato, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and feta. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.
• Baby spinach, thinly sliced red or yellow capsicum, thinly sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, chick peas and thinly sliced cooked chicken breast (marinate in tandoori before cooking). Drizzle with a yoghurt mixture of natural yoghurt, lemon juice, finely chopped chives and flat leaf parsley.
• Baby rocket, spanish onion, crushed walnuts, halved red or green grapes, grated parmesan and shredded BBQ chicken. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Check out a couple of my salad recipes: Quinoa Tabouli, Cashew Crusted Chicken Salad and Salmon and Avocado Salad

Dessert

Summer desserts are so easy to make and theres nothing quite like a cold, icy treat to end the day.

Make the most of fruit this summer and get into the habit of serving this for dessert instead of chocolate, biscuits and cakes. It’s ok every now and then to sit down to a slice of continental cheese cake but too often may make our weight loss effort or other health goals difficult to achieve.

Try these easy ideas for serving fruit for dessert this summer:

• Fruit salad topped with yoghurt and honey or a small spoonful of ice-cream.
• Chopped fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries topped with a small dollop of philadelphia cream (1 tbsp of orininal philadelphia spreadable cream cheese mixed with 1 tbsp double thick cream and 1/2 tsp sugar – mix until smooth). This Summer Berry Tart uses the philadelphia cream and is a really lovely end to a beautiful summers day.
• Blend one mango with 50-100g yoghurt, pour into icy pole moulds and freeze for a delicious ice cold dessert.
• Fruit kebabs
• Smoothies – skim milk, yoghurt, bananas, strawberries, mangoes all in a blender. Blend until smooth and frothy and serve.
• A fruit and vegetable tasting plate - also great for afternoon tea or nibbling on throughout the day.

What are your favourite things about summer cooking?