Easy Summer Meals
Give your summer meals a healthy boost by incorporating seasonal produce into your favorite recipes. All it takes is a little culinary creativity to whip up a nutritious dish with the many in-season Michigan fruits and vegetables available during the summer.
These stir-fry, salad and taco recipes are a few easy-to-follow and healthy dishes to try with your family or friends this summer!
Recipes in order:Â Food Network, Cooking Light and Fitness Magazine
If you’re looking for more easy summer meals, check these out:
- Chicken Sausage and Potato Foil Pack
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Apple Cranberry Turkey Burger Patties
Photo Credit: Food Network
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced seedless watermelon
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 2 limes, plus lime wedges for serving
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound skinless wild Michigan bass fillets
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 romaine lettuce heart, thinly sliced
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 avocado, sliced
Serves 4
Fish Tacos with Watermelon Salsa
Instructions
Watermelon salsa: Combine the watermelon, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeno in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and set aside.
Fish tacos: Preheat a grill to high. Sprinkle the fish on both sides with chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; drizzle both sides with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Brush the grill with olive oil, then add the fish and grill until marked and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a plate and break into bite-size pieces.
Finally, toss the lettuce with 2 tablespoons of the juices from the watermelon salsa and a pinch of salt. Warm the tortillas on the grill and fill with the fish, watermelon salsa, avocado and lettuce. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories 437; Fat 18 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 93 mg; Sodium 636 mg; Carbohydrate 45 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 25 g
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
- 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula
- 2 cups red grapes, halved
- 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Serves 6
Arugula, Grape and Sunflower Seed Salad
Instructions
Dressing: Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk.
Salad: Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Toss gently to coat and enjoy!
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories 81; Fat 3.1 g (Saturated 0.3 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 124 mg; Carbohydrate 13.1 g; Fiber 1.2 g; Protein 1.6 g
Ingredients
- 12 ounces beef tenderloin, cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 poblano, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup Cojita cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup cilantro plus more for garnish, chopped
- Corn tortillas (optional)
Serves 4
Beef Stir-Fry with Avocado Salad
Instructions
Beef stir-fry: In a bowl, combine beef, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 tablespoon chili powder; set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, and poblano and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef and marinade to vegetables and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Avocado salad: In another bowl, combine beans, avocado, cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, and remaining lime juice and chili powder.
Finally, garnish beef and vegetables with remaining cilantro. Serve with avocado salad and warmed tortillas if desired.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories 436; Fat 26 g (Saturated 7 g); Carbohydrate 30 g; Fiber 10 g; Protein 28 g
… Great recipe ideas! They sound refreshing and delicious, can’t wait to try the fish tacos!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Jane. Let us know how your fish tacos turned out. 🙂
No serving sizes provided.
Hi Christina,
Thanks for reading and commenting. We are going to add the serving sizes for you today. 🙂
I love fish tacos but never found an interesting recipe to give them a try myself. This recipe looks awesome! Thank you! Susan
Thank you so much, Susan. We hope you like them. Let us know how they turned out for you. 🙂
I think the salsa sounds yummy too!
It really is, Valarie. Thank you for reading and commenting. We appreciate it. 🙂