what to eat when it's too hot to cook ~ three healthy recipes

 It's not officially summer yet, but the temperature is saying otherwise: in the 90's and humid today and tomorrow. I don't know about you, but when the weather is this hot, I certainly don't feel like eating hot, heavy food. Light and healthy is the way to go. 

A smoothie always hits the spot for breakfast or a snack. One thing I love about smoothies is that they're so versatile. You don't have spinach; use kale. Out of strawberries; use raspberries or blueberries. Need some protein in your smoothie? Add a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter. Here's my basic recipe.

In a blender, add the following in this order:

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1-1/2 cups cold water

1 cup organic frozen fruit (I used a triple berry mix)

1/2 - 1 banana (depending on how thick you like your smoothie)

1 handful organic baby spinach (or kale)

1/2 tablespoon each flaxmeal and hemp seed (you can also add chia seeds)

1 tablespoon organic unsweetened coconut

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Give it a whirl...

Stick a straw in your drink, sit outside in the shade, and enjoy.

Rice bowls are popular these days and I can see why. They're adaptable, easy to make, healthy, and visually appealing. I made this taco bowl the other night and hubby went back for thirds. ;-) OK, maybe I should call this a taco plate because I didn't have a big enough bowl! Starting from the left: romaine, radishes, black olives, scallions, fresh cilantro, halved cherry tomatoes, cooked organic, grass-fed beef with taco seasoning, cooked brown rice. The "sauce" you see on top of the romaine is guacamole (make your own or buy prepared) mixed with a little plain Greek yogurt. So, how do you eat this? Anyway you want! You can be messy and mix it all together, or you can dip your fork into the creamy sauce, then into the veggies and beef and work your way around the plate in random order. There's no correct way to eat a rice bowl! This is a great way to get a lot of veggies into your diet, too. Meat should be the accompaniment, with the veggies being the star of the show. For a vegetarian option - or a no-cook option - substitute black beans for the ground beef.

I'm not a dessert eater and I also don't eat processed sugar anymore, but sometimes in the hot weather I crave ice cream. So, I make my own "nice cream" in the blender! This chocolate recipe definitely hits the spot.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING NICE CREAM

One avocado

A few chunks frozen banana (slice ahead of time and keep in freezer)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (according to your taste)

Enough unsweetened almond milk to blend smooth (according to your blender)

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Eat as is, or top with fresh berries or chopped nuts. A friend of mine asked the other day if this tastes like avocado and I told her no - you would never even know this has avocado in it. All the avocado does is make the mixture smooth and creamy.

Here's to your health ~ enjoy the weekend!

Sharing with Art and Sand: Share Your Cup #201 and Rattlebridge Farm: Foodie Friday.